A new Governing Board for the National Folklore Board has been inaugurated in Accra with an appeal to ensure that Ghanaians protect their folklore.
The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC), Mark Okraku Mantey, who inaugurated the board yesterday, said the country needs to protect their folklore in order to help drive the country’s tourism and creative arts industry.
He was of the view that folklore played a key role in the promotion of the tourism and creative arts industry.
The nine-member board, chaired by Professor AbdulaiSalifuAsuro, has Ms Bernice Ann Deh-Kumah, Executive Director of National Folklore Board; MsYaaAttafua, Copyright Administrator; Mr Enoch Yaw Oduro-Agyei; Mr Philip BoakyeDuaOyinka; Ms Amy Frimpong; Ms Joseph Ohene-Osei, and Ms Sarah NorkorAnku as members.
The National Folklore Board is a statutory body established and mandated under the Copyright Act, 2005 (Act 690), to administer, register, promote and protect Ghanaian expressions of folklore on behalf of the President and for the people of Ghana.
“I agree that if we do not have a strong folklore or protected folklore, then what we want to use to drive culture will suffer.
“When culture suffers, it affects the creative industry,” Okraku Mantey said.
According to him, the Ministry was committed to ensuring that the country had a protected folklore, saying that “if we are unable to build the foundation, which is folklore the Ministry would not be able to achieve its targets”.
He observed that the board was very critical to protect the country’s folklore and by extension, helping to transform the country’s tourism and creative arts industry.
Mr Mantey, therefore, challenged the new board to deliver their mandate as expected to help drive the National Folklore Board into prosperity, saying “you did not just get here, it is because of what you are known for and what you have done over the years.”
The Board Chairman, ProfessorAsuro, pledged the commitment of the board to help drive the board into prosperity.
For him, folklore was critical to the very survival of the country and called on the Ministry to fast-track the processes of getting the national folklore policy.
BY BENEDICTA GYIMAAH FOLLEY
