By Iddi Yire
Accra, March 22, GNA – Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, has assured Parliament that the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC) will be marketed and promoted.
The Minister gave assurance when he appeared before the House to respond to questions by Mr Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey, National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Keta.
The MP asked the Minister the plans the Ministry had to promote tourism in respect of various traditional dances and culture performances.
NAFAC, which is one of the flagship programmes being implemented by the Ministry through the National Commission on Culture (NCC), is a biennial celebration to promote the various Ghanaian cultural festivals in all the sixteen 16 regions of the country, where days were especially dedicated to showcase the artistic and the dancing prowess of the various regions.
Dr Awal said the latest edition of NAFAC was held on November 22, in Cape Coast, where almost all the various dance types of the nation were displayed.
He said the Ministry intends to put in the needed investment to ensure its sustainability and wider patronage among communities.
On Inter-Regional Season Dance Competition (Dance Gala), the Minister said this would catalogue all the various traditional dances and performances of the various ethnic groups of the country and categorize them into specific geographical boundaries (respective regions) to promote Inter-Regional competition akin to the sports’ football gala, where the winning region would keep the trophy and be defending champion until another season of the same event.
Regarding traditional dance workshops, Dr Awal said the focus would be placed on traditional dance forms, the history and meaning behind them.
He noted that a capacity building and training programme would be organised for the artistes to enhance their skills to prepare them for the world market.
He said foreigners and Africans in the diaspora would have the opportunity to learn their preferred dances with technology on the Ministry and its agencies’ platforms.
“We will engage domestic and international partners to drive the agenda of showcasing Ghana’s dance and cultural performances through Ghana’s missions abroad.”
GNA