Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, Minister of Tourism Culture and Creative Arts on Tuesday launched the third Ghana Carnival 2016 in Accra.

The carnival on the theme “my culture rocks” is to promote domestic tourism through culture and the creative arts.

The 3-day event would start on the July 1, 2016 with a carnival float from the Obra spot at the Kwame Nkrumah interchange through some principal streets in Accra to the Independence Square for the exhibition and sale of made-in-Ghana goods, food bazaar, talent hunts, pick and acts etc.

The second and third day would feature a mammoth beach jam at the Labadi Beach.

Speaking at the launch, the Minister said the institution of the concept of carnivals in Ghana is a testament to the ministry’s untiring efforts at finding innovative ways of spicing up the tourism landscape and promoting especially domestic tourism.

She said it is also to afford creative arts practitioners the platform to showcase their potential in respect of costume designing, dance choreography, music composition, art, design etc.

“Additionally, the carnival is to bring together the diverse and unique Ghanaian culture and traditions from the various regional cultural troupes and groups that would be represented, thereby forging unity in diversity whilst synergising regional values for social cohesion.”

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said ultimately, it is to be used as a tool for socio-economic development by encouraging the establishment of business linkages, wealth creation and promotion of business ideas among the huge numbers of people which congregate around it.

She commended the President, for creating the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, thereby harmonising the three pillars on which Ghana’s tourism hinges.

She noted that, the Ministry was grateful for the confidence reposed in the sector as one of the unsung sectors for sustainable job creation.

“The ministry is vigorously working on the legal and regulatory framework for the creative arts (creative industry bill) to streamline activities of the industry and has since last year held six regional consultative and sensitization workshops with industry players and other interested parties on the draft bill,” she stated.

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said the carnival is expected to feature music and dance groups from the length and breadth of the country, student groups, associations, corporate institutions, keep fit clubs and individuals.

She added that they were also expecting representation from other countries such as Nigeria, Togo, Seychelles, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The sector Minister said the Ministry, in addition to boosting tourism in the country, has appointed three tourism ambassadors this year namely, John Dumelo, Abraham Attah, finally, Abeiku “Santana” Aggrey,

She was hopeful that they would bring their fame, expertise and goodwill to bear on Ghana’s tourism development and the tourism marketing efforts.

She expressed appreciation to all stakeholders in this year’s carnival and appealed to other corporate institutions and individuals to come on board in grand style to ensure a successful celebration.

She also implored the media to use their mediums to publicise the Ghana carnival and even offer the ministry their platform to share more light on the event.