CNC DIRECTORS AND ACCOUNTANTS MEET IN BOLGATANGA
CNC DIRECTORS AND ACCOUNTANTS MEET IN BOLGATANGA
BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM November 13, 2009
ISD-BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL
All ten regional directors, of the Centre for National Culture [CNC] and their respective accountants and district directors of the CNC have converged in the Upper East Regional capital, Bolgatanga for a three-day conference aimed at harnessing efforts and sharing ideas regarding Ghana’s cultural sector.
Participants will also chart the way forward for recognition and appreciation of the important role the CNC plays in developing the country’s arts and culture.
The Upper East Regional Director of the CNC, Naa Luciano M. Tungbani in an address to welcome his colleagues, noted that the region is now recognised worldwide as the genuine home of the popular straw baskets and hats, assorted leather works and other hand-made artifacts.
The regional director further observed that Upper East has the best tourist attractions in Ghana mentioning the Paga crocodile ponds, Tongo Teng-Zuk hills and the Dr. Kwame Nkrumah bomb site at Kulungugu as a few examples.
Naa Tungbani, also a sub-chief of Charia in the Upper West Region said the various regional directorates of the CNC are not able to recruit new personnel while those already employed also drift to other jobs as a result of meagre salaries.
He said the CNC is not also able to roll out many of its programmes like training people in theatre arts because the region lacks a theatre where stage performances could be rehearsed and performed. He observed with worry that the only theatre project in the region has been abandoned for the past two decades.
He therefore appealed to government to re-direct resources to the completion of the Upper East theatre project and also provide the CNC with the needed logistics including transport to enable it to live up to its full responsibilities.
Naa Tungbani also called for the extension of credit facilities to local artisans in order for them to expand their trade to earn more incomes.
The Chieftaincy and Culture Minister, Honourable Alex Asum-Ahensa who is also MP for Jaman North said the Mills’ government is committed to developing the cultural sector since the country’s development rests heavily on culture.
Honourable Asum-Ahensa disclosed that the Chieftaincy and Culture Ministry has received support from the German development organisation (gtz) and is consulting other bodies to develop a comprehensive five-year development that will make government place special focus on the sector.
He assured the CNC staff that government has taken inventory of all uncompleted theatre blocks in the regions and that funds are being sought for their completion.
The Chieftaincy Minister observed that the National Commission on Culture Law 1991, PNDC Law 238 designated metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives [MMDCEs] as chair persons of the regional and district committees of culture adding that a letter will soon be written to all MMDCEs to give the centres for national culture the needed help to put them on a sound footing.
He said the ministry places much importance on culture as it places on chieftaincy and expressed hope that when all the boards are put in place, the directors will collaborate with them for effective service delivery.
Hon. Asum-Ahensa asked the centers to treat the cultural awareness month with all the seriousness it deserves. In furtherance of this awareness month which comes on every November, another festival known as “high vibes festival” has been instituted by the ministry, the French Embassy and Coca Cola Ghana with support from others partners and this is made to coincide with the cultural awareness month.
According to the Chieftaincy and Culture Minister, government’s postponement of this year’s National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFAC) to 2010 scheduled for Tamale is to allow for proper planning of the event from the districts through region to a climax at the national level.
Upper East Regional Minister, Honourable Mark Owen Woyongo in a speech read for him, urged the regional directors and accountants to give professional advice to government and ensure compliance with financial regulations while maintaining confidentiality and neutrality as civil servants.
Honourable Woyongo urged the officers to constantly upgrade themselves by undertaking regular courses relevant to their area of work and keeping abreast with government programmes and policies.
He noted that since 1951, the CNC has made significant contributions to Ghana’s socio-economic development and said the Bolgatanga conference should be used to further improve the work of the CNC nationwide.
The Regional Minister disclosed that on assuming office, he toured all decentralised departments during which period he discovered the theatre complex building which has since remained at foundation level.
He said he subsequently visited the chieftaincy ministry for discussions and a pledge was made by the sector minister that consultations will be done with the finance and economic planning ministry to see to the completion of the project and also construct additional storage facilities at the Bolgatanga crafts village.
The Dean of Directors and Volta Regional Director of the CNC, Mr. William Addo in a statement said the fact that government is new does not stop it form extending adequate support to the CNC.
Mr Addo also noted that many developed countries that Ghana may envy today all made it through culture and arts and called for the re-direction of all efforts by stakeholders to make the Ghanaian culture more authentic and appealing to the world.
He suggested to government through the Chieftaincy Minister to put in place a separate budget for the CNC to ensure adequate resourcing of the various centres for national culture throughout the country.
BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM November 13, 2009
ISD-BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL
All ten regional directors, of the Centre for National Culture [CNC] and their respective accountants and district directors of the CNC have converged in the Upper East Regional capital, Bolgatanga for a three-day conference aimed at harnessing efforts and sharing ideas regarding Ghana’s cultural sector.
Participants will also chart the way forward for recognition and appreciation of the important role the CNC plays in developing the country’s arts and culture.
The Upper East Regional Director of the CNC, Naa Luciano M. Tungbani in an address to welcome his colleagues, noted that the region is now recognised worldwide as the genuine home of the popular straw baskets and hats, assorted leather works and other hand-made artifacts.
The regional director further observed that Upper East has the best tourist attractions in Ghana mentioning the Paga crocodile ponds, Tongo Teng-Zuk hills and the Dr. Kwame Nkrumah bomb site at Kulungugu as a few examples.
Naa Tungbani, also a sub-chief of Charia in the Upper West Region said the various regional directorates of the CNC are not able to recruit new personnel while those already employed also drift to other jobs as a result of meagre salaries.
He said the CNC is not also able to roll out many of its programmes like training people in theatre arts because the region lacks a theatre where stage performances could be rehearsed and performed. He observed with worry that the only theatre project in the region has been abandoned for the past two decades.
He therefore appealed to government to re-direct resources to the completion of the Upper East theatre project and also provide the CNC with the needed logistics including transport to enable it to live up to its full responsibilities.
Naa Tungbani also called for the extension of credit facilities to local artisans in order for them to expand their trade to earn more incomes.
The Chieftaincy and Culture Minister, Honourable Alex Asum-Ahensa who is also MP for Jaman North said the Mills’ government is committed to developing the cultural sector since the country’s development rests heavily on culture.
Honourable Asum-Ahensa disclosed that the Chieftaincy and Culture Ministry has received support from the German development organisation (gtz) and is consulting other bodies to develop a comprehensive five-year development that will make government place special focus on the sector.
He assured the CNC staff that government has taken inventory of all uncompleted theatre blocks in the regions and that funds are being sought for their completion.
The Chieftaincy Minister observed that the National Commission on Culture Law 1991, PNDC Law 238 designated metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives [MMDCEs] as chair persons of the regional and district committees of culture adding that a letter will soon be written to all MMDCEs to give the centres for national culture the needed help to put them on a sound footing.
He said the ministry places much importance on culture as it places on chieftaincy and expressed hope that when all the boards are put in place, the directors will collaborate with them for effective service delivery.
Hon. Asum-Ahensa asked the centers to treat the cultural awareness month with all the seriousness it deserves. In furtherance of this awareness month which comes on every November, another festival known as “high vibes festival” has been instituted by the ministry, the French Embassy and Coca Cola Ghana with support from others partners and this is made to coincide with the cultural awareness month.
According to the Chieftaincy and Culture Minister, government’s postponement of this year’s National Festival for Arts and Culture (NAFAC) to 2010 scheduled for Tamale is to allow for proper planning of the event from the districts through region to a climax at the national level.
Upper East Regional Minister, Honourable Mark Owen Woyongo in a speech read for him, urged the regional directors and accountants to give professional advice to government and ensure compliance with financial regulations while maintaining confidentiality and neutrality as civil servants.
Honourable Woyongo urged the officers to constantly upgrade themselves by undertaking regular courses relevant to their area of work and keeping abreast with government programmes and policies.
He noted that since 1951, the CNC has made significant contributions to Ghana’s socio-economic development and said the Bolgatanga conference should be used to further improve the work of the CNC nationwide.
The Regional Minister disclosed that on assuming office, he toured all decentralised departments during which period he discovered the theatre complex building which has since remained at foundation level.
He said he subsequently visited the chieftaincy ministry for discussions and a pledge was made by the sector minister that consultations will be done with the finance and economic planning ministry to see to the completion of the project and also construct additional storage facilities at the Bolgatanga crafts village.
The Dean of Directors and Volta Regional Director of the CNC, Mr. William Addo in a statement said the fact that government is new does not stop it form extending adequate support to the CNC.
Mr Addo also noted that many developed countries that Ghana may envy today all made it through culture and arts and called for the re-direction of all efforts by stakeholders to make the Ghanaian culture more authentic and appealing to the world.
He suggested to government through the Chieftaincy Minister to put in place a separate budget for the CNC to ensure adequate resourcing of the various centres for national culture throughout the country.
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