Ghana needs strong cultural institutions to counter negative influences - CNC

The country's leaders have been asked to position the nation's cultural institutions to counteract negative foreign cultures and galvanize the people towards national development.

Mr Emmanuel Quao, Volta Regional Director of the Centre for National Culture (CNC), who made the call, said “The best avenues that help to speak directly to our developmental agenda is best communicated through our various artistic forms”.

The Regional Director of the CNC, who made the observation at the recently held “Jubilee First Oil Exhibition” in Ho, said one of the errors “unusual about our nation is the lack and neglect of infrastructure that goes to support our culture and heritage industry.”

Mr Quao stated that except for the Central and Ashanti Regions, the construction of the remaining Regional Centres of Culture have been in a limbo, one for as long as 47 years.

He said the Volta Region's Centre, started in 1990 and scheduled to be completed in 2010, was only 59 per cent complete and expressed the hope that it would be completed early to help revitalize artistic and social activities the Region.

Mr Quao added that local television series such as 'Osofo Dadzie', 'Obra' and 'Concert party' were few good examples of what music, drama, dance, visual arts and others could do “to address everyday

socio-cultural challenges”.
He said the attraction of negative foreign cultures to the youths of the country called for a swift challenge spearheaded by well resourced local cultural institutions.