Ghana Tourism Authority launches Highlife at 100
The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has launched Highlife at 100, a year-long initiative aimed at celebrating, preserving and repositioning Highlife music as a major driver of Ghana’s cultural identity and creative economy on the global stage.
The initiative, which marked a century of Highlife’s contribution to Ghana’s history, identity and global influence, was unveiled at a ceremony that brought together music legends, creatives, policymakers and other industry stakeholders.
Speaking at the launch in Accra on Friday, the Chief Executive Officer of the GTA, Maame Efua Houadjeto, described the initiative as a bold statement of remembrance, honour and cultural projection.
She said Highlife at 100 represented a century of sound, soul, struggle, pride and joy, noting that the genre emerged from lived Ghanaian experiences along the coastlines, in towns, brass bands and palm wine gatherings.
She emphasised that Highlife had remained relevant and influential, having shaped generations and inspired global sounds, including Afrobeat, long before the rise of digital platforms.
She stressed that the initiative was not centred on nostalgia but was a strategic cultural intervention aimed at placing Highlife at the heart of Ghana’s tourism narrative and creative economy.
According to her, Highlife at 100 would focus on documentation, preservation, celebration and legacy building, while creating opportunities for a new generation of musicians, producers and cultural entrepreneurs to reinterpret the genre for the future.
She paid tribute to the pioneers and legends of Highlife, acknowledging their contributions to Ghana’s cultural heritage and thanking them for laying the foundation for the genre’s enduring influence.
Ms Houadjeto also commended the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Dzifa Gomashie, for championing policies and initiatives that had continued to elevate Ghana’s culture globally, including UNESCO recognitions and cultural diplomacy efforts.
She further noted that the initiative reinforced the growing importance of December in GH as a platform for cultural business rather than seasonal entertainment, and pledged the authority’s continued investment in culture-led tourism across music, festivals, heritage, film and fashion.
The President of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), Mr Bessa Simons, in his remarks, called for targeted incentives and funding to support Highlife musicians and ensure the sustainability of the genre.
He praised the collaborative efforts of UNESCO, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and the Ghana Tourism Authority in securing the inscription of Highlife music and dance on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list, noting that the recognition had helped revive interest in the genre.
On behalf of MUSIGA, he paid tribute to pioneering Highlife musicians such as E T Mensah, Nana Ampadu and others who had passed on, and applauded veteran and contemporary musicians for carrying the mantle forward.
Mr Simons disclosed that MUSIGA planned to take Highlife education to schools to teach young people Highlife guitar techniques, song structures, phrasing and the cultural meanings behind the music.
Moreover, he appealed to government and cultural institutions to introduce special grants and incentives for Highlife musicians, arguing that sustained investment in the genre would strengthen cultural tourism and create long-term opportunities within the music industry.
Highlife at 100 is expected to be rolled out through a series of activities and programmes aimed at celebrating the genre’s past, strengthening its present relevance and securing its future for generations to come.
BY STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
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