Mr Francis Kinsley Obeng, the Eastern Regional Director of the Center for National Culture (CNC), has called on Ghanaians not to associate the country’s rich culture with unacceptable practices such as ritual murders, idol worship, juju and witchcraft
He said culture was the totality of people and ministered in food, clothing, religion, language, shelter, visual and performing arts, science and technology, oral and written literature.
Mr Obeng said it was unfortunate that due to lack of interest in culture Ghanaians were gradually losing their identity as a people and stressed that it was time to develop the habit of accepting the rich culture of the nation.
Speaking at the 10th Basic Schools Drama and Poetry Festival in Koforidua on Wednesday, Mr Obeng said if managed well the country’s culture could attract more tourists into the country thereby generating more income into the economy.
The three-day festival, which was under the theme acknowledging oneself as beacon of hope for the future, was organized by the CNC in collaboration with Unimax Macmillan Limited.
Mr Obeng said children could understand better if message was tailored in graphic form hence over the past 10 years, the festival had centred on drama and poetry recitals.
He said the CNC’s major objective was to collaborate with the Ghana Education Service to equip school children with the requisite knowledge and skills to prepare them for the future.
Ms Silvia Tetteh, an Assistant Director of Education at the New Juaben Municipal Education Directorate, commended CNC for the initiative and promised that the directorate would collaborate with them to nurture the talents of the school children.
He said art and theater was one area if managed well could contribute meaningfully to the economy of the state.