GRi Arts & Culture 11 – 04 - 2003
Fijai (Western Region)
He said artefacts, made in the
region when nurtured and tapped could generate foreign exchange to boost the
national economy. The Regional Minister said this in a speech read on his
behalf during the Greater Accra and Upper West Regional Day at the ongoing
National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC) on the theme "Culture,
Development and the Ghanaian Identity" at Fijai
near Sekondi.
He said smocks; xylophones,
woodcarvings, batik, tie and dye could be expanded into large-scale commercial
operations. "What investors need to do is to invest heavily into the
business and develop the entrepreneurial skills of the people," he said.
The Regional Minister stressed
that the development of the human resource, the community and sustenance of
good health, could improve the arts and culture in every region of the country.
Mogtari stressed the need to
develop an arts and crafts village in the Upper West Region, to enable tourists
have easy access to handicrafts. The Regional Minister cited the unique rock
pedestals, mushroom shaped stones, Gwollu defence
wall, Sakana rocks and caves, Lawra
Detention Camp, Nakori Mosque and Eremon
crocodile pond as some of the tourist attractions in the region.
Mogtari said the traditional
music, dance and drama coupled with baskets depicting the cultural heritage, could
be purchased as souvenirs. He, however, cautioned all Ghanaians to guard and
nurture their cultural heritage and identity and pass on such practices to
their children.
Mogtari noted that though
technological revolution in communications brings many advantages, "we
must not allow ourselves to be subjected to negative, offensive and dangerous
foreign socio-cultural practices".
The Regional Minister reminded
Ghanaians that in an era of freedom of choice and the free flow of information,
the answer to the problem is not found in government restrictions and
censorship.
Instead, he said; "the
answer lies in our own ability to discriminate between the many cultural
choices available and to choose what is positive". Mogtari, however,
stressed that discrimination would be impossible for those who do not have a
firmly established set of moral and cultural values.
He charged Ghanaians to
strengthen their cultural values and intensify the upbringing of their children
to make them accept folklore, traditions, dances and other cultural practices. In
an address read for him, Shiekh I. C. Quaye, Greater
Accra Regional Minister said the cosmopolitan nature of
He said the influx of the youth
to
He appealed to traditional
rulers and district assemblies to embark on income-generating projects and
programmes to engage the youth and stop them from seeking non-existent jobs in
the urban areas.
The Regional Minister urged
parents and guardians living in big cities and towns to protect their children
from foreign cultures, which he said could influence them to lose the positive
values bequeathed to them.
Zinikuoro Doctawie
Ninia, II, Acting President of the Upper West House
of Chiefs and Nii Tetteh Otu II of the Greater Accra Region, jointly chaired the
Regional Day. Zinikuoro Ninia
urged the various houses of chiefs, to form joint cultural friendship after the
end of NAFAC.
Such friendships he noted could
enhance the exchange of cultural training for the youth in artefacts, local
dishes, dances and cultural heritage, which in turn could make them self employed and preserve their cultural identity. The
cultural groups of the two regions entertained the audience.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com
Sekondi (Western Region) 11 April 2003-
Kofi Amoatey, Director of Programmes at the National
Commission on Culture (NCC) on Wednesday said lack of film critics, piracy and
use non-professionals in film making, are some of the reasons for production of
inferior films in the country.
He noted: ''excessive emphasis
on sex, ghosts, juju, jealousy and violence should be substituted with hard
work, honesty, truthfulness and cultural heritage''. Amoatey
was speaking at a seminar on film production as part of the 10-day, National
Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC) at Sekondi.
The theme for NAFAC is
"Culture, Development and the Ghanaian Identity". He said though the
film industry is in its infant stages, every effort must be made to let
Ghanaians films, features and documentaries reflect our identity as a
people".
Amoatey urged film producers not to
only "think of the profits, but must recruit professionals and popularise
unknown local languages and cultural practices in your productions".
Vitus Nanbigne,
a lecturer at the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) said Ghanaian
films could be great sources of foreign exchange if they are made to reflect
creativity, historical and tourist sites in the country.
He reminded Ghanaians that
religion alone cannot solve the country's economic problems and urged them to
work hard work to resuscitate the economy. The participants called on Parliament
to enact laws to enable film producers have access to loans and bank credit for
the entertainment industry. They advised professionals in the film industry, to
liase with the relevant agencies and produce quality
films for the public.
GRi.../
Send your comments to viewpoint@ghanareview.com