More events…few venues

Looking for an in-door venue for big events in Ghana is a nightmare for event organisers. The National Theatre and Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) are the only venues you would have to make do with if you are an event organiser.

And the two are almost always booked months in advance. The AICC, as a matter of fact, wasn’t built for the sorts of events we see take place there; it’s actually a CONFERENCE centre. But you can’t blame those in charge when everybody knocks on their door for bookings because there is no alternative.

Outdoor venues are almost as limited in number in Ghana. If one wants to do an outdoor event in Accra, there are four main places to consider; La Pleasure beach, Aviation Social Centre, Independence Square and Trade fair Centre. Needless to mention, the organiser of the event will have to consider extra cost for fencing the Independence Square if the other venues are booked.

Take it or leave it, in Ghana most big events take place in the capital and yet we seem not to be paying attention to the sheer lack of event venues in Accra.

May be the state has done its best to establish the National Theatre, Accra International Conference Centre and the Trade Fair Centre but what’s the private sector doing? Where are all our big entrepreneurs with vision?

Indeed, it may take some millions of Ghana cedis to establish a good in-door and out-door venue but it’s surely an area worth investing in. Can’t the big Ghanaian businessmen and women realise the inherent business opportunities in building event venues in Accra.

The Ghanaian government is making all the money now because there is no alternative. You may have your 4000 dollars and over to book the place but you can only get it if you are lucky. Some event organisers even have to lobby their way through in order to get either the National Theatre or the AICC.

This is a challenge to all the businessmen and women out there (Ghanaian or non-Ghanaian) to pay attention to this goldmine. Competition is always healthy and improves the quality of service.

The state in which we are, in terms of event venues, can be likened to the state in which the radio industry was in Ghana before its liberalisation. It only takes one person or company to blaze the trail and the rest will be history.