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Brong-Ahafo Youth Want Culture Centre Completed Before 2014 NAFAC

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group calling itself Concern Youth For Brong Ahafo Development are

calling on Government to as a matter of urgency complete the Brong

Ahafo Centre of National Culture Before 29th November 2014.

FULL SPEECH

CONCERN YOUTH FOR BRONG AHAFO DEVELOPMENT

PRESS RELEASE:

USE National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFAC) TO COMPLETE SUNYANI

CULTURAL CENTRE BUILDING.

The Brong Ahafo Centre for National Culture, Formerly the Arts Council

of Ghana, was established in 1961. The Centre was housed in rented

premises in Opanin Kyereme's House opposite the Sunyani High court.

After numerous appeal to the central Government and the Sunyani Urban

Council to build permanent structures for the cultural center from the

onset, the actual building project started late in 1963. An initial

amount of twelve thousand cedis (12,000.00) out of an estimated cost

of one hundred and twenty thousand (120,000.00) was provided by the

Central government and the Sunyani Urban Council in the ratio of

8,000.00and 4,000.00 respectively to begin the project. The 6 acre

land was a gift from the Sunyani Traditional Council (STC).

The Foundation stone was laid in 1964 by Hon. Kofi Asante Ofori Atta,

the then Minister of Justice. The S.C.C was the contractor. The

project took off so smoothly and steadily that by May 1965, the

administrative terrace had reached the roofing stage. However work on

the building began to slacken apparently owing to lack of funds.

The building project was subsequently abandoned after the 1966 coup.

Work on the building resumed in 1972, but was short lived because it

was detected that the S.C.C were working without structural drawing.

In 1973, the S.C.C decided to suspend work when the PWD failed to

furnish them with the structural drawings.

In May 1976, the central Government voted 30,000.00 cedis for work to

resume on the project. It was during this time that the administrative

block was roofed. But thereafter, work came to a halt until 1989 when

it restarted in earnest.

In April 1990, a tragedy hit the center when the entire roofing of the

administrative block was blown off by rain storm, causing extensive

damage to most of the centers equipment and documents. In 1991, work

on the project was reactivated. Since then the project has been

abandoned.

However, the Government awarded the contract of the completion of the

administrative block to J. Adom Ltd. And as of now but for lack of

funds the block would have been ready for use as office accommodation.

The main auditorium and the stage are still uncompleted. In fact, the

entire stage block is far from complete.

BENEFITS OF THE CULTURAL CENTER COMPLEX

The cultural Center Complex is the hub of the people's social,

cultural and entertainment activities. Such a center pre-supposes the

establishment and maintenance of a Drinking bar; Open Air, enclosed

Theatre, a Restaurant, Playing Grounds and a Museum.

Regular and periodic entertainment packages for the people are the

obligation of the cultural center's Administration. Through such

entertainment programmes the people find outlet for the free

expression of their cultural identity. It also provides inducements

for the people to relate to the Government's Cultural policies.

As a platform for the dissemination and exchange of cultural and

artistic innovation, a cultural center complex is indispensable.

Per all these benefits the Centre will bring to the region we regret

that majority of uncompleted cultural edifices put up in this region

by Ghana's first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah has been abandoned. We

have observed that because of inadequate funding, the CNC had lagged

behind in the promotion of the country's abundant cultural heritage

including horticulture. If properly harnessed; Ghana's rich culture

could be highlighted in the international community to earn a lot of

foreign exchange for development.

Cultural development had been neglected by successive governments for

a long time and now that the National Festival for Arts and Culture

(NAFAC) is going to be held in Sunyani on 29thNovember 2014 by the

Centre for National Culture, in collaboration with the Brong-Ahafo

Regional Co-ordinating Council, there is the need for government to

initiate the move to see to the completion of the center which is

intended to serve as a platform to highlight our traditions and

culture. This festival should present unique opportunity to

re-strategize and meet the development aspirations of the people.

We, therefore, call on Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts

and the Brong-Ahafo Regional Co-ordinating Council to make all

resources available including the completion of the Centre for

National Culture to enable the region hold a successful National

Festival come 29thNovember this year and to ensure that tourism,

culture and creative Arts will have its firm ground in the Brong-

Ahafo Region.

SIGNED

COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR

(0269006029, 0208245464)

"ME MAN NTI, ENYE MENTI"

Credit: Myarkfmonline

Kofi Oppong Kyekyeku

I am a Ghanaian Broadcast Journalist/Writer who has an interest in General News, Sports, Entertainment, Health, Lifestyle and many more.

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