By Hafsa Obeng/Patrick Ofoe Nudzi
Accra, Jan. 31, GNA – The National Commission on Culture (NCC) has called for strong public-private partnerships to revitalise Ghana’s cultural sector and fully harness its contribution to national development.
It said government alone could not finance or manage the scale of cultural infrastructure and programming required nationwide, especially for the 24-hour economy.
Mr Wakefield Akuaku, the Acting Executive Director of the Commission, made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, on Thursday, in Accra.
He said the NCC was opening its doors to private investors, creative practitioners, media organisations and community groups to partner in utilising existing cultural facilities and rolling out programmes across the country.
“We have the spaces, the performance centres and the land. What we need now is partnership. We are ready to provide auditoriums, open-air theatres and cultural centres for performances, exhibitions, film screenings and creative enterprises,” he said.
Mr Akuaku noted that the Commission had Centres for National Culture in most regions, many with auditoriums and expansive outdoor spaces, including facilities in Accra, Kumasi, Koforidua and the Volta Region, which could be leveraged for cultural and creative activities.
Although some of the facilities had been run down or incomplete, he said they remained functional and could be revitalised through active use and private sector involvement.
He noted that the NCC’s medium-term strategy of monthly themed cultural programmes, running concurrently across all regions and districts, created consistent opportunities for collaboration throughout the year.
“Culture is not a one-off event. Every month presents an opportunity for engagement, innovation and investment,” he said.
Mr Akuaku said partnerships would also support the government’s 24-hour economy vision by activating cultural spaces beyond traditional working hours, creating jobs for artists, performers and service providers.
He said the Commission was particularly interested in partnerships to develop cultural villages, refurbish auditoriums, establish cinema and exhibition spaces, and promote indigenous music, dance, storytelling and fashion.
On funding, Mr Akuaku said the NCC was not seeking large capital injections but practical collaborations where partners contributed logistics, expertise or programming, while the Commission provided space and coordination.
He appealed to media houses to support by promoting Ghanaian cultural content and giving visibility to cultural activities across the country.
Mr Akuaku expressed optimism that increased partnerships would transform idle cultural infrastructure into vibrant creative hubs and help reposition culture as a viable economic sector.
“With collaboration, we can turn what we already have into something powerful and sustainable,” he said.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe