Accra, March 2, GNA- Parliament on Tuesday approved an amount of 22.4 billion cedis for the National Commission on Culture (NCC) as its operational expenditure for the 2004 fiscal year.

The amount covers personal emoluments of 14,009,000,000 cedis, administration 3,747,000,000 cedis, service activity 2,211,000,000 cedis, and investment activity of 2,444,000,000 cedis. Moving for the approval of the amount, Mr. Felix Owusu-Adjapong Majority Leader said culture plays a significant role in the socio-economic development of the nation and as such the NCC needs to be adequately resourced to maintain and sustain the country's unique cultural identity and values for the promotion of integrated national culture.

Presenting the report on the committee on Youth, Sports and Culture, the Chairman Mr. Samuel Nkrumah Gyimah, said the committee observed that funds for all the centres for national culture were not equitably distributed within the commission as a result, the regional centres were not able to organise pragmatic programme or complete on-going projects.

The committee therefore, recommended that the Commission should ensure equitable and meaningful distribution of financial resources this year.

Last year, the House approved 19.9 billion cedis to the NCC. Contributing to the report Captain Nkrabea Effah-Dartey NPP-Berekum urged the Commission to ensure that cultural activities were organised in the districts and towns to imbibe national identity on the people.