National Theatre launches strategic plan

The National Theatre of Ghana has launched a strategic plan to serve as a blueprint for its development.

Areas outlined in the plan include management system improvement, communication, advocacy, renovation and expansion of its facilities and the building of a health for artistic performance clinic (SHAPe).

At a ceremony in Accra yesterday to launch the plan, the National Theatre also launched a new logo to express its new objectives.

The strategic plan will culminate in the refurbishment of the infrastructure of the theatre to enhance the services it offers.

As part of the strategy, the National Theatre will use information and communications technology (ICT) and other innovations to help market Ghanaian arts and culture in the country and across the world.

Strategic plan

Speaking at the ceremony, the Board Chairman of the National Theatre, Nana Fredua Frimpong, said the organisation required some renovation to meet the demands of its work.

He expressed the hope that the renovation would inculcate more of what was understood to be a Ghanaian perspective on arts and culture.

Nana Frimpong explained that related to the renovation, there was going to be some expansion work on the edifice to accommodate a larger capacity.

On the clinic that is to be built, he said the facility would deliverer health care for artistes and cultural performers.

“Treatment of injured artistes has to be different from the treatment we give to everybody. Artistes need a different level of care and different remedies and we are going to establish this special clinic for these artistes to encourage them to give their all when performing,” he said.

Optimism

The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Ziblim Barri Iddi, expressed optimism that with the new strategic plan, Ghanaians and international patrons of activities of the National Theatre would experience inspiring performances that would present the uniqueness of Ghanaian culture.

“It is, therefore, imperative that this strategic plan becomes a document that is used and not abandoned or put on the shelf; it means a rededication of the board and staff towards the achievements set out in the strategic plan,” he said.

He added that the ministry would support the theatre in all aspects to ensure that its objective to promote Ghanaian culture was realised.

Administrative structure

The Chairperson of the Management System Committee of the National Theatre, Mrs Amy Appiah-Frimpong, in a brief remark, said per the strategic plan, the administrative structure of the organisation had to be reconstructed to ensure the effective execution of its new vision, mission and goals.

Mrs Appiah-Frimpong, who is also the Executive Director of the National Theatre, stressed that the current administrative system had been in existence for 25 years and needed to be changed to meet current demands.

Other speakers

The Chairperson of the Programmes Committee, Nana Apeatsewah, for her part, said the committee would ensure that programmes of the National Theatre were extended to all parts of the country.

“The National Theatre is not just this building but rather an organisation which seeks to promote Ghanaian culture,” she said
She added that to ensure the achievement of that objective, it was incumbent on the committee to ensure that its work was extended to the other regions.

The Chairman of the Communications Committee, Prince Tsegah, said the committee would use a lot of dynamism to ensure that the activities of the organisation were spread across the country.

He said the youth would be involved in the endeavour, as they could help in more diverse ways to achieve the objective.