Ministry's aim is to bring tradition, culture to the fore

Accra, July 24, GNA - The Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo on Monday said the creation of the new Ministry was to bring to the fore issues of tradition and culture as well steps to enhance their development.

He noted that the creation of the Ministry was in consonance with proposals by well meaning Ghanaians, stakeholders and recommendation by the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and should not be seen as a means to cut jobs and victimize staff.

"As a matter of fact, any re-alignment or re-engineering by the new Ministry will only be carried out in consultation with the National Commission on Culture," he said.

Addressing a meeting of Senior Staff of the Commission in Accra, Mr Boafo emphasized that there was now a new Ministry responsible for Chieftaincy and Culture and its Minister had supervisory responsibility over the Former Chieftaincy Secretariat, the National Commission of Culture and the Presidential Commission on Chieftaincy Affairs.

He said staff must have the aim of re-engineering national focus on cultural heritage in tandem with the imperatives of modernity to contribute to the overall development of the country.

"We have to strive to promote our culture internally and externally. The Black Stars have created a golden opportunity for us; our country has been conspicuously placed on the world map through soccer and it is for us to follow up with culture and thereby contribute to foreign exchange earnings," he said.

Mr Boafo pledged to work with all stakeholders to establish the Ministry firmly with the capacity to promote and modernise chieftaincy institutions and cultural heritage for the development and betterment of well meaning Ghanaians.

He said the Ministry had presented a bill to Parliament that sought to address the countless chieftaincy issues.