By Fatima Anafu-Astanga
Bolgatanga, March 9, GNA – The Ghana Museums and Monuments Board in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region, is improving on its operations and attracting increasing patronage.
The improvement in patronage started in the last quarter of 2022 after a facelift of the regional museum gallery currently set up with paintings and other new artifacts.
A ‘hands on session’ was also established by the regional office with funding from the French Embassy, to provide first -hand experience to visitors who want to practise weaving of local straw baskets, hats, paintings, and moulding clay products, directed by experienced skilled men and women there.
Ms Prisca Yenzie, the Regional Director of the GMMB, who took the GNA round the refurbished stands, expressed gratitude to the French Embassy for supporting the sector to improve its performance and daily visits by the public.
Some of the innovations are a new Documentary room installed with a television to show to visitors on arrival to the museum, Ghana’s heritage stories and fresh paintings in the refurbished gallery.
Notable among the wall hangings are the ‘Gafara’ or a knocking rock that depicted a mountain located in the Bongo district, where it is believed that their forebears by knocking on the rock cage whilst in a lying posture, the rock slowly opened for any visitor to go in to perform sacrifices and seek interventions for their problems.
Ms Yenzie said the facelift of the museum brought improvements and visits by school children to the Museum increased from June to December 2022 which culminated in the museum generating an income of GHC1, 000 from fees and charges not only from school children but other visitors.
She said charges for visits ranged from GHC 2:00 per pupil and GHC 10.00 per adult.
She urged families to embrace their culture and share with children to enrich their knowledge of their ancestry and ensure preservation of the tradition and culture.
Ms Yenzie said helping children re-visit their cultural homes and listen to folktales from the aged would help them to store knowledge of the past and in turn share with others.
Though the ‘hands on session ‘is not fully complete due to limited funding, Ms Yenzie thanked the French Embassy for the support and called for more aid from Government and philanthropists to help the museum renovate the washrooms, floor tiles, and buy modern furniture for the offices.
She also called for stronger collaboration from the Ghana Education Service (GES) to help step up visits of pupils and students to the museum.
GNA