With the view to making the cultural sector the pivot of socio-economic development in Ghana in particular and in Africa in general, the National Commission on Culture (Ghana) in 2005 proposed a National Conference to discuss the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) document and the role of culture in its implementation.

The conference was to underscore the importance UNESCO attaches to culture as a critical tool for development and good governance in countries around the world. More importantly also, it is now acknowledged that culture can facilitate the realization of the Millennium Development Goals in African Countries.

The proposal culminated in the zonal workshops at Bolgatanga, Kumasi and Elmina under the auspices of the National Commission on Culture in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and NEPAD, and supported by the Konrad Adenaur Foundation (KAF).

The workshop gathered views and opinions from stakeholders and civil society groups to enrich the cultural input of the NEPAD document.

Specifically, the objectives of the workshops were to examine the dimensions of culture relevant to the realization of the NEPAD goals and to make recommendations for inclusion of cultural dimensions in the NEPAD framework.

At the end of the zonal workshops, reports and suggestions were collated into a 30 page working document for further study.

It was in the light to review and discuss the zonal reports (document) that the National conference was organized in Kumasi from 9-12 May 2006.

The second day of the workshop was devoted to group work.  Participants were divided into five groups to review the entire document prepared by the National Commission on Culture.

The following thematic areas of the NEPAD document were discussed.

1. Culture Sector
2. Culture, Ecology and Natural Resources
3. Health and Culture
4. Agriculture and Culture
5. Education and Culture
6. Governance and Culture
7. Culture and Conflict
8. Youth, Gender and Culture
9. Infrastructure
10. Technology (ICT) and Heritage
11. Energy
12. The Market Access Initiative
13. Cultural Industries
14. Environment
15. Culture and Tourism.

The Chairman of the National Commission on Culture, Prof George P. Hagan who addressed the closing ceremony said a technical committee would be put in place to discuss the recommendations made on the report of the conference. He hoped that the committee would be able to come out with a final document which would be presented to the Executive for consideration for policy formulation and implementation.

In all sixty participants from the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), civil society groups, the Universities, Pro-cultural Institutions and other stakeholders attended.

Story by:
NELSON AKATEY
PRO, NCC.