The office of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) is to be relocated to make way for the Marine Drive Project which is due to begin over the next few weeks.

This was disclosed by Nana Bright Oduro, Chief Director of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, during an interaction with the leadership of the union in Accra.

According to Mr Oduro, with the commencement of the project, all offices in the earmarked area are to be relocated. He indicated that over the next six months, the first batch of affected offices will be relocated while the union would be relocated within the year.

The Marine Drive Project is designed to develop the entire beach from the Christianborg Castle in Osu to the Baden Powell Memorial Hall area which means all the buildings in the area will be cleared to make way for the project.

Briefing the leadership of MUSIGA, Dr Joel Sonne, Director of Projects at the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture said the project dates back to the seven-year development plan of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah in 1964 but had been shelved due to the overthrow of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) government.

He noted that the project has been on the drawing board since the days of the previous government.

Kwadwo Odame Antwi, CEO of the Ghana Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) said the Marine Drive Project would provide a boost to the tourism industry in the country and urged the Musicians’ Union to support the idea fully.

The Project Consultant, J.B Asafo Boakye of ADB Consult, indicated that some offices in the earmarked area would be demolished to create the necessary access ways for the commencement of the project.

According to him, the project itself would take off in full, within a year and should be completed by 2019.

The President of MUSIGA, Bice Osei Kuffour (Obour) welcomed the commencement of the project since it was long overdue.

He expressed the hope that when the project is completed, MUSIGA would receive adequate space for it to continue to work for the improvement of the lives of musicians in Ghana and the industry as a whole.

As part of the Marine Drive enclave, an Amphitheatre, recording studios and offices will be built for the use of the creative arts in general and the music industry in particular.

Present at the meeting were some of the MUSIGA leadership, including first and second Vice Presidents, Bessa Simons and Rev Dr Thomas Yawson respectively; Treasurer, Samuel Agyeman; National Organizer, Chizzy Wailer; Greater Accra Chairman, Ras Caleb Appiah-Levi; Director of Communications and Special Projects, Ahuma Bosco Ocansey; and Administrator, Rev Fiifi Khan Agyarkwah.