Playwright, George Quaye
Ghanaian playwright and entertainment industry professional George Quaye has weighed in on the ongoing debate regarding the maintenance of Ghana's National Theatre.
Various stakeholders, including playwrights, stage actors and other stakeholders, have lamented the deteriorating facilities and outdated technology plaguing the edifice.
Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku-Mantey, in a meeting with the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament on August 16, 2024, revealed that efforts to secure support from the Chinese government, which originally funded and built the theatre, have been hindered by frequent changes in Chinese ambassadors to Ghana.
In response to Okraku-Mantey's comments, George Quaye confirmed that, contractually, the Chinese government is responsible for the theatre's maintenance for a specified number of years.
He supported the minister's efforts to engage the Chinese government, stating, "When you're a public officer, you need to explore all channels available to you first before you can offer alternate solutions. When you knock on that door for a number of months or weeks or whatever and you don't get results, then you can start looking for alternate solutions, which I believe the ministry and all the leadership at the theatre, the board and everybody have been doing.”
He acknowledged that the government has taken steps to maintain the theatre, such as purchasing new air conditioners with state funds.
“If they hadn't been doing it the state wouldn't release funds for the purchase of the new air conditioners that they have, which of course is not from private funds and it's not sponsorship, it is state funds that have been used to purchase that. So that alone tells us that beyond the Chinese part of the conversation, the government is actually taking the initiative to ensure that what has to be done is done,” he added.
However, he emphasised that these efforts are not sufficient, stating, “It's not enough for those of us that use the space. We can tell you for sure that we are managing the space and trust me, even the staff who work there, the people that work there, everybody is not happy, you know, everybody is just managing.”
He expressed hope that continued efforts would lead to meaningful improvements for the theatre, benefiting both the creative sector and the broader community.
“I choose not to look at the political aspect of things. I like to look at the actual results, the eventual results that we will get at the end of the day,” he noted.
ID/NOQ
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