GhLA, AfYEF, Moves to Establish First Presidential Library and Legacy Centre
ACCRA, Ghana — October 2, 2026: The Ghana Library Authority (GhLA) and the AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurs Federation (AfYEF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to support the development of the proposed John Dramani Mahama Presidential Library and Legacy Centre (JDM-PLLC) in Northern Ghana.
The agreement, signed at the headquarters of the Ghana Library Authority in Accra, marks a major institutional milestone for the project, which has been in development for more than three years.
Under the partnership, GhLA will provide professional and technical support for the library, archives, digitisation, preservation and knowledge-management components of the proposed centre.
The initiative is being championed by AfYEF Founder and President, Chief Siita Sofo Hissan, who said the project was conceived as a long-term investment in knowledge, heritage, youth development and economic opportunity in Northern Ghana.
‘Development Must Be Deliberate’
Hissan said deliberate investment in knowledge infrastructure was necessary to address developmental disparities between northern and southern Ghana.
“Development must be deliberate if we are to bridge the gap between the North and South.”
According to him, the proposed centre will go beyond preserving the legacy of former President John Dramani Mahama by creating a platform for education, research, digital skills, entrepreneurship, cultural heritage and youth empowerment.
What the MOU Covers
The partnership between AfYEF and GhLA will focus on:
- Library development and professional technical support;
- Archives and preservation;
- Knowledge management;
- Digitisation and wider public access to information;
- Research and institutional sustainability; and
- Cultural heritage and knowledge preservation.
The project is privately initiated and is expected to be financed through AfYEF, partners, investors, philanthropists and development partners rather than through direct funding from the Government of Ghana.
Three Strategic Locations
The proposed JDM-PLLC is structured around three Tier-1 locations in Northern Ghana.
Tamale is planned as the main institutional and knowledge hub, with proposed library and archival facilities, research programmes, academic partnerships and youth-focused initiatives.
Busunu is envisaged as a heritage, leadership and community hub for cultural activities, leadership development and youth programmes.
Bole, the hometown of former President Mahama, is proposed as a presidential heritage and tourism hub linking the project to the history, culture and tourism potential of Northern Ghana.
The project is guided by the philosophy: “Preserve the Legacy. Develop Knowledge. Empower People. Inspire the Future.”
Major Facilities Planned
The proposed centre is expected to include a Presidential Library and Archives, Presidential Institute, Research and Knowledge Centre, Digital Library and Archives, Conference and Leadership Centre, African Youth Fellowship, Northern Ghana Museum and Youth Development and Skills Training Centre, among other facilities.
The organisers also envision a wider tourism and economic-development network connecting the project’s three main locations with attractions such as Mole National Park, Larabanga and other cultural and historical destinations.
The development model is based on the chain:
Heritage → Knowledge → Tourism → Jobs → SMEs → Local Economic Activity → Community Development.
Broad Stakeholder Support
The initiative has involved consultations with public institutions, traditional authorities, academic institutions, development organisations and private-sector stakeholders.
Among those associated with the project are the Sagnarigu Municipal Assembly, Bole District Assembly, Bole Traditional Council, Ministry for Youth Development and Empowerment, National Commission on Culture, USAfrica Caribbean Exchange, University for Development Studies and the Ghana Library Authority.
The organisers said more than 50 individuals and institutions have endorsed or expressed support for the initiative, including traditional rulers such as the Yagbon-Wura, Wa Naa, Sagnari-Naa and Bolewura, as well as government officials and representatives of academic and development institutions.
The project is intended to become a permanent, non-partisan institution dedicated to knowledge, research, culture, heritage and youth development.
National Launch Set for November 30
Following the signing of the MOU, the organisers have announced November 30, 2026, as the date for the official national launch of the JDM-PLLC.
The event is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. at the UDS Multipurpose Auditorium/Great Hall in Tamale.
The launch is expected to formally present the project’s three-year development journey and usher in the next phase of founding-partner mobilisation, fundraising, master planning and construction.
The organisers said the national launch would provide an opportunity to mobilise additional institutional, private-sector, philanthropic and development partners towards the realisation of the project.
The Partners
The AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurs Federation (AfYEF) is a continental youth-focused organisation promoting entrepreneurship, trade and private-sector participation under the African Continental Free Trade Area. It is leading the development of the JDM-PLLC initiative.
The Ghana Library Authority (GhLA) is Ghana’s national library institution responsible for the development and management of public library services and the promotion of reading, learning and access to information.
(AfYEF Media)
