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George Quaye, a Ghanaian playwright and entertainment industry expert, has shared his thoughts on the current discussion about the upkeep of Ghana’s National Theatre.
Many individuals involved in the theatre industry, such as writers, theatre performers, and other concerned parties, have expressed their concerns about the declining conditions and outdated technology affecting the building.
Mark Okraku-Mantey, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, disclosed in a meeting with Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee on August 16, 2024, that the theatre’s continued support from the Chinese government has been impeded by the frequent rotation of Chinese ambassadors to Ghana.
George Quaye confirmed that, as per the contract, the Chinese government is obligated to maintain the theatre for a certain number of years in reply to Okraku-Mantey’s remarks.
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 admitted that the government has worked to upkeep the theater by buying new air conditioners funded by the state.
“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.
NKONKONSA.com
