By Mariatou Ngum
The Honorable Minister of Tourism and Culture, Mr. Hamat N.K Bah on Friday, June 10th inaugurated the newly appointed Board of Directors of the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC).
The inauguration ceremony took place at the Ministry’s conference room in Banjul.
The new Board comprises: Hon. Fafa E. Mbai, the Chairman; Nahla Tambadou; Momodou Jagne, and Foday Baldeh, as board members.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Minister Bah welcomed the new and continuing board members to the new board. He described arts sector as one that has the greatest impact on each and every citizen of the Republic. He noted that every Gambian is a user of arts and or a creator of arts. “Therefore, the cultural and artistic sector concerns all and has a direct impact on all of us”.
He went on: “This is why since we assumed power in 2017, we have made effort to promote the sector through the institutional strengthening of the National Centre for Arts and Culture, through increment in budget support to the NCAC, and the disbursement of development budget to the Centre to implements its primordial mandate of conservation and interpretation of sites. Since 2017, various heritage sites have been refurbished and value-added to protect them for prosperity”.
He cited the refurbishment of Kerr Batch Stone Circle site which has recently been completed and the rehabilitation works that have started at Mungo Park Memorial in Karantaba Sami.
Minister Bah added that during the past five years, the outgoing board under the leadership of the outgoing Chairman Mr. Oreme Joiner put the NCAC on a much better financial and administrative state and that the staff strength has been augmented and capacitated to all levels.
The new board chairperson Hon. Fafa E. Mbai, on behalf of his fellow board members extended gratitude to His Excellency the President of the Republic through the Honorable Minister of Tourism and Culture for the honour and confidence in appointing them as governing board of NCAC. He said they take their appointment as “a call for patriotic action to maintain the noticeable vibrant dynamism in the artistic and cultural check under his engaged leadership, vision and energy”.
For his part, Hassoum Ceesay, Director General of the NCAC, thanked the Board members for accepting the appointment, while revealing that this is the 2nd board that the Minister inaugurated since 2017.
Nahla Tambadou assured of their commitment to serving to the best of their ability and to ensure that the NCAC would be an institution that all will be proud of and to compete with other countries to claim their rightful position in the cultural tourism sector.