It is very necessary to review the National Cultural Policy – David Dontoh

Legendary Ghanaian actor, David Dontoh has stated that it is very necessary to review the National Cultural Policy.

Ghana is preparing to rejuvenate its cultural scene by revising the National Cultural Policy.

The current policy, dating back to 2004, has become outdated in light of rapid technological advancements and evolving societal needs.

With funding from UNESCO and the European Union, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture is leading the initiative to modernize the policy and align it with contemporary development trends.

Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, characterized by its diverse ethnic groups, languages, and artistic expressions, is a cornerstone of the nation’s identity.

To ensure broad-based input, the Ministry convened a validation workshop at the Accra International Conference Centre[AICC] on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, bringing together key stakeholders from the creative industries, civil society, academia, and traditional authorities. Participants discussed the draft policy and provided valuable feedback.

Present at the workshop included Mr. H.E. Edward Mukala, UNESCO Country Representative, Ms. Margo Pitura, the European Union representative, representatives of the Spanish, Mexican, Republic of Suadi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates   Embassies in Ghana,  the Deputy Minister for Creative Arts Mark Okraku Mantey and legendary actor David Dontoh.

Speaking to Channel One TV, the legendary Ghanaian actor divulged that it is necessary to review the National Cultural Policy.

According to the former “ Agro’’ TV show host, “It’s very necessary. Very, very necessary. And we even need, as I indicated in our submission, we even need a lot more time to do it.

Because culture policy is what defines us as a people. You know, in Senegal, when parliament is going to sit open, it is the culture minister who gives the speaker the freedom to speak. Because minus the culture minister, who are you, the speaker? Who identifies you as what? It is the culture minister who identifies you as a Senegalese.”

He stressed,” So you cannot come and stand there and talk to us when we don’t know who you are. And that is how we should treat our culture policy. Cultural policy is so important for a country and for a people that we can’t afford to just treat it lightly like that.”

David Dontoh explained extensively, “We need to have certain leverage on the culture policy for virtually everything that we do in this country. That is why the speaker of parliament has a linguist staff. He speaks for and on behalf of the people of Ghana.”

Source: CNR