Sikakrom lands

Accra, 15 March, GNA - Yankah and Associates, Communication Consultants on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with METRO TV for the coverage and broadcasting of a new cultural variety programme dubbed " SIKAKROM"

The programme seeks to provide an avenue for Ghana's culture to be showcased and be preserved and would be performed at the Centre for National Culture in Kumasi (CNC) every Saturday, starting from the March 26, 2005 and would be screened on METRO TV on Sundays.

Mr Kojo Yankah, Chief Executive Officer of Yankah and Associates, and Mr Alhassan Idrissu of Metropolitan Entertainment Television signed on behalf of their respective organizations.

METRO TV would handle the post-production, editing and playback to its viewers.

Mr Yankah said: "SIKAKROM" literary meaning Home of Gold would also help to showcase the cultural diversity of Ghana and communicate the richness of Ghana's culture.

"Over the years the downgrading of Ghana's culture in various ways has become a major concern of some of us, particularly as we understand the immense potential of culture as a major influential communication tool," he said.

Mr Yankah said; "our cultural performers, most of whom have such great talents have been starved of avenues and channels to communicate their rich potentials. Beyond the factual observation, most of our practices and manifestation are dying off; concert parties are disappearing at regrettable speed.

"Our proverbs and great sayings have virtually no place in so called 'intellectual quotations' and our traditional dances are given only ceremonial value," he said.

It was unfortunate that Ghanaian local educative and formative lyrics were giving way to obscenities and sexist connotations, he said.