Chief of Staff Julius Debrah deserves congratulations, not ridicule, on earning a PhD in Museum Studies. The commentary circulating that he pursued the degree merely because of “pressure to be called Dr.” reflects a worrying ignorance of what museums represent in modern economies. It also exposes a narrow mindset that values only degrees such as MBAs while dismissing disciplines that preserve culture, generate employment and create wealth.
I experienced similar mockery when I was appointed Chairman of the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board. Some people genuinely wondered why museums mattered at all. Yet many of the countries we admire understand that museums are not simply buildings filled with old artefacts.
The United Kingdom provides a good illustration. Its major national museums generated £563 million in commercial revenue in 2024–25 through exhibitions, retail, restaurants, venue hire, publishing, licensing and memberships. That is roughly 20% of Ghana’s annual cocoa export earnings.
Museums are not just cultural institutions. They are businesses that create jobs, attract tourists, earn foreign exchange and contribute significantly to the economy. Museums also sustain entire professional ecosystems.
Every successful museum creates opportunities for archaeologists, historians, conservators, photographers, sculptors, painters, designers, architects, filmmakers, educators, tour guides, event managers, digital content creators and researchers. They stimulate publishing, merchandising, hospitality and cultural tourism. They are real careers that contribute to national income.
Ironically, many of the grants, technical assistance and cultural partnerships African countries receive from Europe exist because those countries invested seriously in preserving and studying their own heritage. They appreciate that culture has economic value. Ghana has extraordinary historical and cultural assets.
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