Sunyani, Nov. 9, GNA – Mr Alexander Asum-Ahensah, Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, on Tuesday inaugurated the National and Brong Ahafo Regional Committees for the celebration of the 2012 National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC).

The region will host NAFAC to be held in August 2012 in Sunyani.

The committees are made up of representatives of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture, National Commission on Culture, Civil Society Organisations, Ghana Journalists Association, Ghana Education Service, Public Works Department, Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC), Municipal and District Assemblies, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Police Service and Ghana Immigration Service.

Members are tasked to work as a team to ensure the successful organisation of the festival, which will be on the theme: “NAFAC - harnessing our diverse human capital and traditional know-how to add value to the creative industry and agriculture for sustainable national development towards the better Ghana agenda.”

Mr Asum-Ahensah said the festival is an opportunity for the people of Brong Ahafo to showcase the region as the food basket of Ghana and home of creative industry that had contributed to employment generation, poverty reduction and wealth creation.

He explained that the theme for the celebration is very appropriate considering the abundance of natural resources especially arable land, diverse human resources and talents that are available in the country and the region in particular.

Mr Asum-Ahensah, who is Member of Parliament for Jaman North, observed that funding for NAFAC had been a constant recurring challenge since the government allocation for the festival always fell short of expectation.

“It is therefore important that the planning committees focus much attention on the mobilisation of funds from other sources,” he stated.

The Chieftaincy and Culture Minister indicated that the ministry is working closely with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation to identify title and sponsors for the festival.

Mr Asum-Ahensah asked the regional and district cultural centres to work closely with the RCC and the Municipal and District Assemblies to project their activities.

He charged members of the two planning committees to bring their wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise to bear on deliberations to ensure a better NAFAC in terms of content, heightened interest and full participation of all relevant Assemblies, non-governmental organisations and the public.

Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Regional Minister, said the festival would go a long way to deepen the cultural basis of development as a nation.

He appealed to traditional authorities as well as Municipal and District Assemblies to play their roles to help achieve a successful festival.

Mr Nyamekye-Marfo noted that publicity is core to the overall success of NAFAC 2012 and entreated the media to take up the role.

Mrs Rebecca Amo Aboagye, Chief Director at the Chieftaincy Ministry, on behalf of the members gave the assurance that the two committees would work together to make the festival successful.