Bolgatanga, Oct. 26, GNA - The Deputy Upper East Regional Cultural Officer at the National Commission on Culture (NCC) in Bolgatanga, Mr Patrick Azika, has deplore the lack of enthusiasm on the part of most district and metropolitan assemblies in the Region in lending financial and logistical support to run district, regional and national cultural festivals.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Bolgatanga on Wednesday, Mr Azika emphasised that district and municipal assemblies by their mandate were supposed to establish avenues for weavers, artists, craftsmen, performing groups, and traditional medicine practices among others.

This, he said, could also create wealth for their communities and reduce poverty. "The artistes who live in the district can easily get jobs to do and through this create employment and wealth for the district", he stressed.

Mr Azika impressed upon the municipal and district assemblies to see the promotion of culture and cultural festivals as a springboard in marketing their tourist attractions for wealth creation and reduction of poverty.

He explained that festivals had a lot of benefits. Wealth, he noted, could be created through the exhibition of art works, music, drumming, dancing and other creative works. The Assistant Regional Culture Officer urged the Assemblies in the Region to justify their inclusion in this year's National Festival of Arts and Culture, slated for Wa on November 25, by contributing logistically and financially towards the celebration.