Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku-Mantey has cut the sod for the construction of an ultra-modern open-air amphitheatre in Kumasi on April 26, 2023.

According to him, the project which forms part of the New Patriotic Party’s manifesto to build five (5) Amphitheatres across the country, will be completed by July 2023.

Making the promise at the sod-cutting ceremony which took place at the Centre for National Culture in Kumasi, Mr Okraku-Mantey assured Ghanaians the project will be done on time.

“This amphitheatre is supposed to start any moment and by the end of July 2023, it should be ready. I repeat we are cutting sod in the next 10 to 15 mins and by July 2023, it should be ready,” he confirmed.

Meanwhile, highlighting its capacity, the amphitheatre is expected to contain a maximum of 1,000 people.

“It will carry a maximum of 1,000 people. We can choose to do some side and side depending on the type of event we have,” he explained.

The event, nonetheless, was graced by dignitaries such as Kumasi Mayor Sam Pyne; Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC), Mr Kwadwo Antwi; Executive Secretary of the National Film Authority, Juliet Yaa Asantewaa Asante and Ghana Tourism Development Project (GTDP), Nana Sarfo Kantanka, who is the project coordinator (MoTAC).

The list continued with the President of the Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG), James Aboagye, and Kumawood actor and producer Bill Asamoah among other industry players who thronged to support the cause in the Ashanti Region.

Speaking at the venue, Mr Okraku-Mantey reiterated President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has the Creative Industry at heart saying, the amphitheatre will act as a source of venue for performances and other forms of entertainment and also aid Industry players to plan for events.

Another factor he emphasised was job creation to boost the Industry’s economy, which forms a prime drive of the New Patriotic Party.

Throwing light on some of the achievements of the First Man in the country towards arts, the Deputy Tourism and Creative Arts Minister said: “President Akufo-Addo promised the creative arts law and on 20th December 2020 the bill was passed. The same Akufo-Addo promised the Creative Arts School, today it is almost 70 per cent done.

“Now NFA has an office and a managing director. During Covid times, grants that came in weren’t for Creative arts but it was extended to us and a lot of people benefited from that,” he said.

Background

On Wednesday, October 19, 2022, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Mohammed Awal, announced at a press briefing that the government would be building five multipurpose domes or amphitheatres in 2022.

“We are going to build 5 amphitheatres and domes. One area that we lack in this industry is that we don’t have multipurpose venues for activities. We’re going to 5 this year. The process has already begun to procure supplies,” he announced.

“This year, we do 5 amphitheatres, then we do another 5 next year. So by 2024, we would have all 16 regions to give our artistes venues to perform,” he added.

The minister indicated that this would help create jobs and opportunities for Ghanaians.

The issue of theatres or performance centres has been of prime concern to creatives in the country, as they keep holding governments accountable on promises to provide such facilities.

So far, as said in the NPP manifesto, five (5) Amphitheaters will be built this year; two (2) in Accra, one (1) in Kumasi, one (1) in Takoradi and one (1) in Tamale.