Year of Return : Revenue up by 60%

The Year of Return which was launched by President Akufo-Addo has increased patronage and revenue at most tourist sites in the country.

According to the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, rourist sites has seen a rise in patronage and revenue this year under the Year of Return initiative.

Acting Director for the Board, Kingsley Ofosu in an interview with Joy FM said revenue this year is up by 60%.

"This year it's superb especially with the year of return, the patronage that we having this year is unprecendented and our revenue increased by 60%, in July we had over 10,000 tourists in Cape Coast alone, in August we had aboout 8,000 Elmina, so if someone tells you that patronage is going down the person does not know what he or she is talking about..."

READ ALSO : PHOTOS: Ghana marks 'Year of Return' at James Town

Year of Return, an initiative aimed at celebrating 400 years since the first black slaves landed in Jamestown Virginia has given the opportunity to most people in the diaspora to visit Ghana and learn about their origin and also know about how Africans were taken to Europe. 

The initiative has seen a lot of foreigners coming in to Ghana, some of these personalities include , Steve Harvey, Kofi Kingston and Eddie Murphy.

READ ALSO : Year of Return : US comedian Steve Harvey in tears after visiting Cape Coast Castle (Videos/Photos)

'Year of Return' a good initiative - Jidenna

Nigerian-American singer Jidenna lauded the 'Year of Return' initiative that was launched in Ghana by President Akufo-Addo's government.

Jidenna believes this is a gift for African-Americans to revisit their ancestral land, 400 years after the slave epoch.

Jidenna speaking on ‘The Breakfast Club’ show on US-based Power 105, said the ‘Year of Return’ initiative deserves mass coverage in the Western world.

According to the ‘Bambi’ hitmaker, it will give them equal opportunity to know their family roots and grant them the opportunity to reconnect with their past.

“The president of Ghana just announced recently that if you are an African-American or Caribbean-American or from the Diaspora and you go back to Ghana and trace your roots even if you just live there, you’re going to be granted voting rights.

“That’s a big headline. It changes how you look at things. Say, we got another Trump and we already seen the game you can be like for the next four years, I’m out [to Ghana].”