Under good corporate governance and ensuring that he performs the task assigned to him by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana effectively, the Minister-Designate for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon. Egyapa Mercer met the Board of Directors of the National Theatre on Thursday 25th April 2024 at the Ministry. The Board has been responsible for the smooth running of the facility, ensuring it maintains its national relevance.
The delegation was led by the Board Chair, Nana Fredua-Agyeman Ofori-Atta, who briefed the Minister-Designate on the progress of the National Theatre, despite the limited resources available to work with. He mentioned the critical areas of activity that required urgent attention. He further noted that the Theatre had successfully piloted a special initiative in which it partners distinguished professionals in the industry as artistic directors-in-residence, to stage plays for the public. He posited that under this initiative, the staging of “The gods are not to blame” recorded such high patronage that a rerun was organised.
He mentioned the need for the rehabilitation of the National Theatre, noting that plans were underway to replace all the chairs in the Theatre and adjust the seating capacity upwards. He also mentioned the urgent need for all the air conditioners in the facility to be replaced. Among others discussed was the need for enhanced security at the Theatre, noting that although the premise is designated as a security zone, it hasn’t received the needed attention from security agencies.
Hon, Egyapa said he was ready to engage both internal and external stakeholders towards mobilising support for the refurbishment of the Theatre and commended the board for their efforts.
The National Theatre is not only a magnificent edifice but also a historic site which ought to be preserved at all costs; for which Hon. Egyapa Mercer said he was committed to helping them do so.
