The former Mayor of Kumasi, Hon. Samuel Pyne, has underscored culture, tourism, and commerce as the major economic pillars driving the growth and development of the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi.
According to him, Kumasi’s rich cultural heritage, vibrant commercial activities, and growing tourism sector continue to position the city as one of Ghana’s most important economic and cultural centres.
Hon. Pyne made these remarks during the ongoing Global Economic Diversification Summit in Edmonton, where he participated in a high-level panel discussion on the theme “Building Multi-Sector Municipal Economies.”
The discussion featured former Mayor of Edmonton, Hon. Amarjeet Sohi, and was moderated by Dr. Khwezi Mbolekwa, Special Advisor to the GED Council.
Speaking during the summit, Hon. Pyne explained that Kumasi’s unique identity as the cultural heartbeat of Ghana, combined with its strong commercial base and tourism potential, continues to attract people, businesses, and investors into the city.
According to him, commerce remains deeply rooted in the history of Kumasi as a major trading centre, while culture and tourism continue to attract both local and international visitors.
“These sectors continue to attract many people to Kumasi and therefore need to be properly harnessed to drive economic growth, investment, and development,” he stated.
Hon. Pyne further called on the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly to strategically leverage its sister-city relationships with New Orleans and Charlotte in the USA, and the City of Dortmund in Germany, to attract foreign direct investment and strengthen international economic partnerships.
He stressed that such partnerships should focus on investment promotion, tourism development, cultural exchange, infrastructure support, and business collaboration to accelerate Kumasi’s transformation.
The Global Economic Diversification Summit brought together municipal leaders, development experts, and policymakers from around the world to discuss strategies for building sustainable, diversified local economies.
Hon. Pyne’s remarks reinforced Kumasi’s growing reputation as a leading centre for culture, tourism, and commerce in Ghana and across the African continent.
