'Voices Of Ghana' Launched

Moses Tetteh, chairman of Computer Information System (CIS) Ghana Limited, has said that the arts, including poetry, can significantly transform lives and must, therefore, be preserved, nurtured and handed over to our children as a legacy.

He was speaking at the launch of a year-long programme of literary recitals dubbed, 'Voices of Ghana', organised by the Ghana Association of Writers (GAW) at Alliance Francaise in Accra.

The programme is being sponsored by CIS Ghana, a total computer industry service provider which partners with many worldwide and reputable companies to deliver IT products and services in many sectors of Ghana.

The importance of the arts, he said, was why the company had always been in the forefront of supporting the arts and welcomed the opportunity to help pioneer the novelty of discovering new talents and assisting them to excel.

Mr Tetteh was happy that many young poets were emerging and writing very incisive and imaginative poetry that “express our anger, reflect our happiness, celebrate our beauty and mourn our losses”.

He observed that “many people would wish to be poets in order to better express their true feelings in more concisely and creative ways, however, God has, in his own wisdom, chosen a select group of professionals whom we should celebrate and support.”

Mr Tetteh congratulated GAW for  organising the platform for discovering new poets and hoped that the evening of poetry readings would become traditional and institutionalised.

Ms Joyce Aryee, Chief Executive of Ghana Chamber of Mines, who chaired the ceremony was not happy that many of today's youth had little involvement with poetry or literature.

“It is encouraging for GAW to initiate the programme that would expose talents in poetry and expose other youth to the arts,” she said.

The President of GAW, Dr Selbi Ashong-Katai, described the programme as another chapter in the activities of the association to furher spread the literary word by creating a forum for young writers alongside upcoming and established poets.

Others at the maiden evening of recitals included Prof. Atukwei Okai, Secretary-General of the Pan African Association of Writers; Nii Osai-Mills, of the Ghana Bar association; Dr Rex Quartey, Executive Director of GAW; Dr Kwesi Awuah, Honourary Secretary of GAW and Mr Nazir Saqib, CEO of CIS Ghana.

Mrs Dehab Ghebreb, Cultural Affairs Officer of the embassy of USA; and Mr Fidel Casimiro, First Secretary, Embassy of the Republic of Angola, were also among the audience.