Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Ocloo
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Ocloo, has expressed reservations about the use of the Ewe greeting “Woezor” on welcome signage in Accra, insisting that Ga culture must be duly respected on Ga-Adangme land.
In a media interaction on August 28, 2025, the minister emphasised that Greater Accra should not be compelled to adopt greetings that do not reflect the indigenous Ga heritage.
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“This is Greater Accra. Greater Accra is for the Ga people. I mean, how can we sit in Greater Accra and expect Woezor? Woezor is for the Voltarians. They have legitimate concerns, and I will support them, why not?” she said.
In a follow-up social media post, Ocloo reaffirmed her stance, stressing her responsibility to safeguard Ga cultural identity.
“It’s a Ga-Adangme land, I’m a regional minister… I protect the values of all Ga-Adangmes because Greater Accra isn’t just about being a capital. Culturally, we have to accord some high level of respect! It’s a cultural setting. Respect it,” she wrote.
The minister’s comments come amid controversy at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, where greetings on the park’s welcome signage have reportedly been altered.
A video sighted confirms that the Akan greeting “Akwaaba” (welcome) and the Ewe greeting “Woezor” have been replaced with the Ga word “Oobakɛ.”
The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has, however, distanced itself from the changes.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, GTA’s Chief Executive Officer, Maame Efua Houadjeto, said the authority did not know about the development.
“We wish to categorically state that at no point has the Ghana Tourism Authority ordered or approved the replacement of the culturally significant greetings Woezor (in Ewe) and Akwaaba (in Akan) with Oobakɛ,” Houadjeto clarified.
She explained that any modification to such inscriptions would require approval from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, as well as other relevant agencies.
The development has triggered fresh debate about cultural representation in Accra.
Some members of the Ga community argue that their language has been unfairly excluded from national monuments and infrastructure located on Ga land.
The controversy has extended to Kotoka International Airport, where some campaigners are pushing for the iconic “Akwaaba” signage to be replaced with “Oobakɛ.”
Images of the modified airport signage believed to be AI-generated have been widely circulated online, further stoking the debate.
It’s a Ga-Adangme land, I’m a regional minister… I protect the values of all Ga-Adangmes because Greater Accra isn’t just about being a capital, culturally we have to accord some high level of respect! It’s a cultural setting. Respect it🇬🇭 https://t.co/4mvdByCmg8
— Hon. Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo (@HonLindaAkweley) August 28, 2025
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