Establish music, arts festival in higher institutions-VC

Winneba (C/R), Aug. 25 GNA - The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba, Professor Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, on Tuesday called for the establishment of a bi-annual festival of Music and Arts for tertiary institutions in the country.

He suggested that such occasions should be organised every two years and rotated among universities and polytechnics and awards given to talented and promising students who would excel in research into traditional music and arts.

According to Professor Anamuah-Mensah, the hosting of such events would help to promote festival, music and arts in the country. Professor Anamuah-Mensah was opening the 26th Annual National Conference of the Performing Arts Teachers Association of Ghana (PATAG) at the Community Health Nurses Training School at Winneba.

The Theme for the three-day conference aimed at appraising the previous year's activities of the association is "Music and Dance Education in Ghana: The Way Forward".

Mr Frank Swanzy Essien, Awutu-Effutu-Senya District Director of Education, also emphasized the need for music teachers to help transform the music industry in Ghana to meet international standards.

Mr Essien deplored the current situation whereby non-formal musicians used indecent language to compose songs, which have serious social implications on the country's development and also do not attract foreign patronage.

The Omanhene of Effutu Traditional Area, Neenyi Ghartey VII, who chaired the occasion, called on members of the association to help form performing arts groups in second cycle institutions to help promote unity.

He also asked the conference to come out with a communiqu=E9 that would spell out the role of chiefs, institutional heads, churches and the government should play to promote the music industry in Ghana.