The Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture has disclosed that in place of the ultra-modern theatres promised the industry, her outfit is renovating existing cultural centres until funding to build theatres are secured.
According to Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, works on the Eastern Region’s Cultural Centre have already been completed while others are still ongoing.
“Cultural centres in the regional capitals were in a very poor state. A decision was taken to rehabilitate them in the interim to provide an avenue for the industry,” she told George Quaye on Showbiz A-Z, on Joy FM.
The cultural centre in the Ashanti Region is being renovated at the moment with hopes it would be ready by the end of the year, she stated.
The Tourism Minister added that works on the Takoradi cultural centre are yet to begin.
Mrs Oteng-Gyasi, however, revealed that because Ashanti Region is the bane of the film industry, the ministry and the Mayor of Kumasi have been engaging a Chinese company, which has expressed interest in building the ultra-modern theatre.
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“They have done all the designs (and) they have identified the land for it. So the next thing we are going to do is to engage the Minister of Finance to see the financial window we can have to ensure that that project can also start,” she added.
If the go ahead is given the estimated time for the project to be complete is two years, she stated.
She explained that the design for the theatre is elaborate and would be an “icon” in the Ashanti Region and for the entertainment industry when completed.