AfYEF to launch John Mahama Presidential Library and Legacy Centre to drive leadership, tourism

The Young Entrepreneurs Federation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfYEF) has announced the upcoming national launch of the John Dramani Mahama Presidential Library and Legacy Centre (JDM-PLLC).

The launch event will take place on November 30 at the main campus of the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale.

The JDM-PLLC is being established as an independent, non-partisan educational, historical, and cultural institution designed to document, preserve, and protect the leadership legacy, ideas, and public service contributions of President John Dramani Mahama, alongside other notable Ghanaian and African leaders.

According to a release issued to JoyNews by AfYEF Continental President, Chief Hissan Siita Sofo, the project seeks to establish a lasting institutional platform where students, researchers, and future generations can study governance, democracy, and national development.

Operating under core values of integrity, accountability, knowledge, innovation, heritage, service, and inclusion, the Centre aims to bridge historical preservation with youth empowerment.

The Centre will feature several interconnected institutional components designed for research, education, and public engagement.

It includes a Presidential Library and Archives for official records and historical documents, a Historical Research and Knowledge Centre for academic studies, a Leadership and Civic Education Centre focused on constitutional governance, and Conference and Public Dialogue Facilities for policy discussions.

Additionally, the complex will house a Museum and Cultural Heritage Centre highlighting Northern Ghana's history, a Digital and Virtual Learning Centre for global online access, and a Youth Skills and Enterprise Development Centre offering practical mentorship and entrepreneurship support.

Beyond historical preservation, the JDM-PLLC serves as the anchor for an ambitious economic and tourism initiative aimed at positioning Northern Ghana as a premier destination for domestic and international travelers, including the global diaspora.

With key hubs situated in Tamale and Damongo, in proximity to Mole National Park, the project forms part of a broader strategy to extend visitor stays in the region for up to two weeks.

Central to this vision is the establishment of the Northern Trade and Tourism Corridor (NTTC), an integrated circuit connecting major economic and cultural sites across Ghana's five northern regions and extending down through Kintampo in the Bono East Region at the geographical center of Ghana.

Initial engagements have already commenced with leadership in the locality, including the Member of Parliament and District Chief Executive in Kintampo, to integrate landmarks such as the Kintampo Waterfalls into the national tourism loop.

As part of its long-term objectives, AfYEF and its partners plan to pursue international heritage recognition, including UNESCO World Heritage status, for key natural and cultural sites along the corridor.

The AfCFTA Young Entrepreneurs Federation (AfYEF) is a pan-African, youth-led organization created to mobilize and empower young entrepreneurs within the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area, a flagship initiative of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Since launching in June 2021, AfYEF has established operations across more than 30 African countries, supporting over 15,000 small and medium enterprises through enterprise support, cross-border trade facilitation, and youth economic empowerment.