GRi Arts & Culture 26 – 01 – 2000 

Report on migration patterns of Ghanaians launched

Accra (Greater Accra), 26^th January 2000 

Nana Akuoko Sarpong, Chairman of the National Commission on Culture, on Wednesday said for Ghana's Vision 2020 to become a reality, there is the need to re-examine the cultural identity of the nation.

This, he noted, would help establish an atmosphere of peace and unity necessary for development.

He, called for public education and informative programmes such as lectures, workshops and seminars to make the public aware of the richness of "our past in order to build upon it".

Nana Sarpong was launching the Executive Report on the first seminar on the "Migration Patterns of Ghanaian Ethnic Groups to their present locations according to oral tradition" under the theme "Building new social bridges to link us together as one people".

The seminar, organised last year by the Community Youth Cultural Centre (CYCC), was to, among other things, collect and collate unwritten information on African oral tradition for documentation.

The report reveals similarities in traditional cultural practices among the various ethnic groups in Ghana.

Nana Sarpong said throughout Africa, there is a serious self-inflicted identity crisis despite the veritable store of a rich cultural heritage, which is preserved in African oral tradition.

He, however, suggested to the National Committee for the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC) 2000 to include in their discussions the local movement of ethnic groups within the country.

Mr. Yaw Opoku-Dankwah, Director of the CYCC, said the report, divided into three parts, is made up of the summary, full text of the seminar and information from newspapers, magazines and journals that could help shape the culture of the society.

Copies of the report were presented to seven organisations and institutions including the Pan African Writers Association, National Folklore Board, Trinity College and the Ghana Institute of Journalism.

GRi