Ghanaian playwright and poet, Oswald Okaitei has made some reservations about the announcement that the Marine Drive Project will have an auditorium for events.
This is in response to the statement made by the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku-Mantey on Citi TV’s Breakfast Daily on Friday, November 5, 2021, that the original plan of the Marine Drive project makes provision for a place where artistic performances can take place.
“The original Marine Drive drawing is not going to eliminate the Arts Centre concept. If the Marine Drive is ready today, we should find a whole auditorium in it, which is going to have about 2,500 people,” Okraku-Mantey said.
Earlier, some creatives had raised concerns that it is wrong to demolish the theatre of the Arts Centre in Accra to make way for the Marine Drive project.
However, Oswald thinks that even though he applauds the concept of the 2,500 seater auditorium, he does not support it being closer to the National Theatre.
“Much as some would think differently, I sincerely think it’s better to build such edifice somewhere in Legon to help decentralize the theatre concept—people (from Dodowa, Madina, Adenta, Haatso, Agbogba, etc would not always have to travel down south to ‘experience theatre’ or organize concerts,” he noted.
“What we have in Legon are institutional auditoriums—owned by University of Ghana or UPSA—which would not entertain certain events when school is in session or when school intends using them.
And you know the rent charges of such places and conditions they come with Government-owned edifice (s) must be stationed far from the coast to efficiently promote the performing arts,” he added.
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By: Kwame Dadzie | Ghana Weekend
