KoKMA partners visual artists, others to beautify Accra

The Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KoKMA) has partnered the Ghana Association of Visual Artists (GAVA) and AccraDotAlt, an independent cultural network, to undertake a beautification project aimed at beautifying Accra.

Dubbed Accra Beautification Project, about 50 professional artists will begin working on the Ako Adjei Interchange for a period of four weeks.

The assembly will provide the necessary resources and logistics at the cost of GH¢67,000, while GAVA and AccraDotAlt will provide the artists.

Other areas earmarked for beautification include the Efua Sutherland Children's Park, Liberation Circle, also known as Ridge Roundabout, Danquah Circle, the Community Centre around the High Street and some parts around the Accra Sports Stadium.

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) is said to have started with the Accra Beautification project two years ago, It partnered Jandel Limited, an event planning company, to light up the Ridge Roundabout during Christmas last year.

Meeting

At a meeting in Accra yesterday to brief journalists about the project the President of GAVA, Nana Otuo Owoahene Acheampong, explained that murals, paintings executed directly on a wall, would be made on all slants of the overpass.

He said the artwork would mostly depict the culture and lifestyle of the Ga people who are the indigenes of the city.

“We will begin with painting the four slants under the overhead as well as its pillars with visuals, depicting the culture of the Gas, such as on chieftaincy, commerce, dance, symbols, among others,” he said.

He noted that “materials such as stabilising primers, cement mortar mouldings painted over with acrylics will make the mural stand the test of time; a minimum period of 10 years”.

Nana Acheampong, however, urged other assemblies to identify open spaces within their communities where murals could be painted, to depict the lifestyle of the people.

President’s vision

The Executive Assistant to the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the KoKMA, Ms Christine Dadson, speaking on behalf of the assembly, said the partnership was to help fulfil the President’s vision to make Accra clean and beautiful.

“We are empowering the GAVA to start depicting murals of our culture, and that is why we are supporting them with all the necessary logistics to start the project,” she said.

She was emphatic that the assembly was poised to do all that was necessary to see to the success of the project.

No Defacing

KoKMA Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) Mr Daniel Odei-Appiah, who is also the secretary to the KoKMA Beautification Committee the assembly would deal with persons who would deface the artwork with posters.

He explained that the assembly would trace the sources of the bills posted and have the offenders arrested, prosecuted or surcharged.