Preserve country’s rich heritage - Mrs Afeku
The Minister of Tourism, Creative Arts and Culture, Mrs Catherine Abelema Afeku, has called on Ghanaians to preserve and conserve the country’s rich cultural heritage.
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According to her, Ghana was endowed with a variety of traditions and culture, manifested in many ethnic groups, all constituting an important attraction for tourists, both local and foreign, which needed to be preserved.
“Traditional crafts and contemporary arts are well developed in various areas in Ghana which provide an attraction for tourists and are sources of income for local craftsmen and women,” she said.
Mrs Afeku made the call in a speech read on her behalf by the Director of Research, Statistics and Information at the Ministry of Tourism, Mrs Olivia Opoku-Adomah, at Cultural Fest 17 organised at the Regent University College of Science and Technology.
Culture
The minister asked Ghanaians to respect the country’s culture, especially the kind of foods that were grown in the country.
She expressed worry about the fact that some Ghanaians had embraced continental dishes so much that they did not know how to prepare some Ghanaian dishes.
“We have got to know that our dishes are diminishing and, therefore, there are people from public agencies and private individuals who are going round to educate the public on the preparation of our Ghanaian dishes. It is about time we went for them, especially those that are missing from the system,” she said.
Programme
Regent Fest featured students dressed in African prints and appropriate kitchen gear to showcase their cooking talents for awards, while others displayed products they had made, including cake, ice cream, burgers, African cloths and drinks.
There was a variety of cultural dances from different ethnic groups, including those from Nigeria, while other students prepared dishes of Nigerian, Gambian and Ghanaian origin.
Purpose
A lecturer in Event Management, who was also the Event Promoter, Mrs Ruth Kukua Ntumy Fletcher, stated that Level 400 students of the university who had studied events management had to showcase what they had learnt as part of their academic assessment.