Fund for aged musicians irrelevant – Okraku-Mantey

Chief Executive Officer of Slip Music, Mark Okraku-Mantey has rubbished suggestions for the establishment of a fund for people in the creative arts to cater for their needs when they are old.

According to Okraku-Mantey, people in the arts should be able to save during their heydays in order not to depend on the benevolence of governments or individuals for their survival.

“I just want to establish that you don’t need a fund for aged musicians. It is your prerogative as an individual to save,” he said on Hitz FM’s Daybreak Hitz, Thursday.

His comments come on the back of calls by some people in the arts on President John Mahama to help foot their hospital bills as they are cash trapped.

Some pundits have argued that the situation would have been different should a fund for the aged had existed.

Although Okraku-Mantey believes the helping hand extended by President Mahama to some showbiz personalities could be politically motivated, setting up a fund is not the best option.

He told host, KMJ that it is rather important to have a conducive environment for the growth of the arts which will subsequently reward the efforts of stakeholders.

“We are making it look like anyone who has made a hit before, done something to contribute to the arts shouldn’t die poor. No! It’s not like that. With your social security, it is your prerogative. But what we are saying is that, get the environment right so that those of us who wouldn’t beg the president for money can take advantage and grow our social security. For now, the foundation isn’t good,” he noted.

Veteran actor, Abeiku Nyame, popularly known as Jagga pee, has appealed to President Mahama to help him settle his hospital bills estimated at GHC 2,500.00.

The president has a project called ‘Celebrities for Mahama’ which seeks to better the welfare of old personalities in the arts.

The project which has actor, Clement Bonney (Mr Beautiful) as the coordinator has seen C.K. Mann, J.A Adofo, Kofi Laing (Kohwe), Paapa Yankson, Ewurama Badu, William Addo benefit.