Creative Arts Sector Needs Some Attention

Ghana’s Tourism and Arts sector certainly deserves some urgent and additional attention from the current government, led by Nana Akufo-Addo, a man that has over the years proven to be a lover of the arts.

Prior to the New Patriotic Party (NPP), electoral victory in December 2016, the party had made all manner of brilliant promises that would boot the tourism and arts sector.

It has been one year down the line and THE PUBLISHER, in all honesty, can say the arts and tourism sector has received a rather insignificant focus from government. This is sad and certainly not worth writing home about.

The record so far, cannot be proudly defended and touted by the Creative Arts For Change (CAFC), a pro-NPP support group that was formed by key members of the creative arts fraternity.

THE PUBLISHER would want to remind the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, that the arts sector if still waiting for the establishment of the specialized division of the high court that would focus on creative arts issues.

Ghana already has an abundance of laws on creative arts, intellectual property, royalties, plagiarism, and all those worrisome arts-related challenges. The problem is the implementation of the laws and how to deal with persons that flout such laws.

We understand fulfilling many of the promises require some money and government has scarce resources. But truth is some of the promises are not capital intensive.

For instance, forming a vibrant and formidable Creative Arts Council, with its Governing Board of experts should not cost government an arm and a leg.

Working in tandem with the Judicially and the Attorney General’s office to establish the Creative Arts Courts, although would require some funding, is not one huge investment above the reach of government.

Passage of the Arts Bill, for instance, to regulate the arts sector, does not cost millions of dollars.

Why on earth have such significant and crucial things not been done when the sector Minister for the Arts is a Cabinet member.

One of the key promises that was dear to the hearts of the arts sector was that aside Greater Accra, the government would establish an ultra-modern event venue with a large sitting capacity in all the regions, starting with Kumasi, Takoradi and Tamale.

We expect to have seen traces of commencement of even one of the promised event venues by now. But that is not happening….and unfortunately, the government and Ministry for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts is also not explaining anything to the electorates.

In the absence of clear information, there is speculation.  THE PUBLISHER is reminding the government that managing creative people is difficult. But making a promise to creative people and not fulfilling that promise certainly creates more difficulties.