By Hafsa Obeng/Patrick Ofoe Nudzi
Accra, Feb. 1, GNA – The National Commission on Culture (NCC) says it is repositioning culture to drive national cohesion, creativity and economic growth.
Mr Wakefield Ackuaku, Acting Executive Director of the Commission, said the NCC had outlined a mediumâterm programme to achieve that objective.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra, he said the Commission was positioning itself to operate efficiently throughout the year while addressing longâstanding institutional and policy challenges.
Mr Ackuaku said the strategy was anchored on a structured monthly programme, with each month dedicated to a specific cultural discipline to ensure nationwide participation and impact.
He said January had been devoted to research and development to operationalise findings and recommendations from cultural studies that had remained unused.
Mr Ackuaku said February would focus on drum language, indigenous languages and authorship, alongside the revival of the Student Drama Festival to nurture creativity and writing skills among secondâcycle students.
âMarch turns attention to heritage and history, encouraging every community to tell its own story, alongside a critical, inclusive reâexamination of Ghanaâs independence narrative.
âApril highlights PanâAfricanism, while May interrogates the relationship between culture and extractive industries, including bold conversations around environmental degradation and illegal mining,â he said.
Mr Ackuaku said innovation and technology, including traditional medicine, would take centre stage in June, while July would examine the evolving concept of the Ghanaian family.
August would celebrate food and festivals, and September would honour art in all its forms, including architecture, visual and performance arts.
Mr Ackuaku said October would focus on storytelling and filmmaking, with the return of âBy the Firesideâ narratives and scrutiny of cultural content in Ghanaian films, while November would be devoted to fashion and accessories, highlighting generational craftsmanship and indigenous enterprises.
December, he said, would culminate in music, masquerades and festivals, and the programmes would be implemented concurrently across all regions and districts, led by Centres for National Culture and district cultural officers, to ensure accessibility nationwide.
On achievements, Mr Ackuaku said emphasis had been placed on improving staff welfare, strengthening interâagency collaboration and deepening engagement with traditional rulers and traditional religion practitioners.
He said that the introduction of the monthly thematic framework had brought clarity and direction to the Commissionâs work, improving coordination and impact assessment nationwide.
Mr Ackuaku cited growing international collaborations and preparations towards the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC) 2026, scheduled for the Volta Region, as key milestones.
He acknowledged challenges, including the outdated statute establishing the NCC, which he said limited its regulatory authority and created overlapping mandates with sister agencies.
Mr Ackuaku noted that the absence of an updated cultural policy remained a concern, as the existing 2004 policy no longer reflected contemporary cultural and creative realities.
He also mentioned funding constraints, the poor state of some cultural infrastructure, underutilisation of auditoriums and performance spaces, and limited promotion of Ghanaian cultural content on radio and television.
âDespite these challenges, the Commission is opening its facilities to publicâprivate partnerships as part of efforts to support the Governmentâs 24âhour economy agenda and revitalise cultural spaces across the country,â he said.
Mr Ackuaku expressed optimism that legislative reforms, stronger partnerships and sustained public engagement would significantly enhance the Commissionâs impact by the end of 2026.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey