GTA Says It Did Not Approve Osu Carnival Event

Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), has denied approving or endorsing the Karnival Kingdom Festival held in Osu in the Greater Accra Region.

The five-day Caribbean-style carnival attracted widespread attention after videos and explicit images from the event circulated on social media.

The festival quickly sparked public criticism. Religious groups and sections of the public questioned the nature of the event and how it was allowed to take place openly in Accra.

One of the strongest reactions came from the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference. The group described the festival as inappropriate and inconsistent with Ghana’s cultural and moral values.

The Conference also raised concerns about possible violations of public standards and questioned the level of oversight surrounding the event.

Amid the backlash, the Ghana Tourism Authority said it had no prior knowledge of the festival.

Speaking to Citi News, the Director of Corporate Affairs at the GTA, Bright Asempa Tsadidey, stated that the Authority neither sanctioned nor supported the event.

“We have not okayed, we have not endorsed, and we have not sanctioned any group of people to undertake such an exercise or event,” he said.

According to him, the Authority was surprised by the development and has already contacted the Ghana Police Service to help identify the organisers.

He added that the GTA intends to engage those behind the event to establish how it was organised and conducted.

The controversy has reignited conversations around event regulation, public morality, and tourism oversight in Ghana.

It has also highlighted the growing influence of social media, where viral content can rapidly shape public reaction and national debate.

As discussions continue, attention is now focused on whether authorities will take further action regarding the organisers and future public events of a similar nature.

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