Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Monday called on stakeholders in cultural activities to partner the private sector for mutual benefit and to sustain the cultural heritage of Ghanaians.
"In our new private sector development plan, there is a place for the creative industry and I believe that your partnership will create a lot of publicity and advertisements for the sponsors of your programmes in subsequent years."
Vice President Mahama made this call when a delegation from the Northern Regional Planning Committee of the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC) called on him at the Castle, Osu.
The delegation was there to inform him of their hosting of the week long activity from November 20 to 27 and to solicit for more support that would enhance the success of the festival.
Vice President Mahama regretted that most of the Ghanaian traditional dances were fading away due to the influx of foreign films and westernization and promised to continue to support the cultural sector to maintain the Ghanaian values.
He gave the assurance that the passing of Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) bill into law would help propel the commercial activities in the northern sector and subsequently reverse the perennial north-south drift of youth in search of non-existent jobs.
Kpembawura Alhaji Haruna Kibasibi, who led the delegation, said the funds voted for the festival were woefully inadequate and called on government to consider releasing more finances to enable the committee carry out their activities.
He said publicity on the festival had already started on Accra Radio and Television stations and called on all stakeholders to
perform their roles professionally to ensure a successful festival.