GOV'T CALLS ON PRIVATE SECTOR TO HELP BUILD BIGGER EVENT VENUES

The private sector has been urged to join forces with government to build bigger capacity entertainment venues in the country.

The country currently lacks bigger capacity venues for various entertainment events including concerts. This, according to experts, is to blame for the high cost of events tickets in the country.

Currently, event organizers depends on the Accra International Conference Centre, which seats about 2,500 audience and the National Theatre, which seats about 1,500 people for shows in the country. Some also use the Accra Sports Stadium.

The Dome at the Accra International Conference Centre, which is currently the country's biggest event venue, which seats about 6,000 people, has been closed down for renovation since 2012.

President John Mahama disclosed in August last year that the government has secured funding from Turkish Export and Import Bank to put up a second National Theatre in Kumasi to promote arts in the country. That project is expected to be bigger than Accra's National Theatre.

Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Elizabeth Ofosu Adjare speaking in an interview with Myjoyonline.com, urged the private sector to help government build bigger capacity venues in the country.

"The private centre should come on board to put up some of these big conference centres. Government is doing its part [by putting] up a facility in Kumasi, which is going to seat about 3,000 people. So we are encouraging the private to come on board" to help the government, she said.

According to her, "the way to go is for the private sector to invest in this industry because you are assured of returns... looking at the enabling environment for investors to invest in this sector, I think I will encourage people to take advantage of the economic season we have and the kind of incentives we are giving the private sector to do some of these things."

The Minister was speaking to Myjoyonline.com after the out-dooring of a-600-seater multipurpose conferencing and entertainment centre at the Labadi Beach Hotel last Friday.

The venue, according to the management of the hotel, is an ideal venue for business meetings, residential conferences, presentations, fashion shows, cocktails, dinners, and wedding receptions.