Culture Forum held in Accra
The Managing Director of the Graphic Communications Group Limited Mr. Edem Kwaku Ashigbey has called on Ghanaians to appreciate their culture. Speaking as the chairperson of the First National Conference of the Ghana Culture Forum held at the National Theatre on Tuesday, November 29, Edem Ashigbey said Ghanaians have gradually lost touch with their cultural identity and have adopted foreign cultures.
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He also blamed the media for contributing to the decline in Ghanaian culture due to the constant promotion of foreign food and lifestyle in the Ghanaian media.
Edem Ashigbey also criticised the Ghanaian public for relegating the traditional African attire exclusively to Fridays in favour of formal European attire for the remaining days.
Director of the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Prof Kofi Agyekum, who delivered the keynote address said even as Ghanaians seek to promote and develop their culture, modern technology, should be used as tools in projecting the culture to the younger generation.
He advised that the country documents important aspects of Ghanaian culture in books, digital media and radio and television to use as means to educate the youth on their cultural heritage.
The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, delivering her address said, the Ghana Culture Forum has offered the opportunity for her ministry to try out a novel way of collaborating with civil society and the private sector in order to develop and promote policy.
“We have consulted the Ghana Culture Forum in diverse ways as we formulate policy or seek to make interventions on the ground with regard to promoting our national culture. We have also involved the Ghana Culture Forum in the process of developing legislations such as the Film Bill which is now an Act of Parliament,” she added.
She said since 2015, government has allocated almost GH¢ 2 million through the forum for disbursement to the culture and creative arts domains and also to support other major cultural events and activities.
“I am reliably informed that the funds were disbursed for activities including capacity building workshops in music, dance, film, theatre and concert party, phonography, book fairs and publications as well as institutional support for the Ghana Culture Forum,” she said.