Give us a Minister who understands our industry - Creative Arts Group to Akufo-Addo

A group of creative arts players in the Ashanti Region have appealed to President Akufo-Addo to appoint a Minister who understands the industry and will ensure continuity in the sector.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday in Kumasi, Nana Frimpong, a member of the group, said the Tourism and Creative Arts Ministry has suffered a lot as a result of Ministers not fully implementing ideas and projects started by their predecessors.

He also appealed to President Akufo-Addo to appoint a Minister who will listen and address the concerns of industry players and not just a selected few.

He gave examples of how creative arts persons in Kumasi are always not consulted or involved in projects in the region or policies being introduced by the Ministry.

“The only time all stakeholders in Kumasi were given an invitation to share ideas on improving the creative arts industry was at the event to renovate the Apatakesie Ase in 2018,” he said.

“Creative arts is very important in the building of a nation hence we are pleading with President Akufo-Addo to appoint a Minister who understands the sector and will ensure continuity,” he stated.

President Akufo-Addo will be appointing ministers to help him govern the country in his next term from 2021-2024 after he won the 7th December 2020 Presidential elections.

In his first term, the President first appointed Catherine Afeku as the Minister for Tourism and Creative Arts from 2017-2019. She was replaced with Barbara Oteng Gyasi, the former MP for Prestea Huni Valley.

Some industry players have said Catherine Afeku struggled in her first year and had disagreements with industry players but did extremely well after settling in.

Some say her style of broad stakeholder consultation was what did the trick for her.

Her predecessor Barbara Oteng Gyasi also had challenges settling in but did well in the latter part of her reign as Minister.

The press conference was attended by actors, musicians, media practitioners, carvers, sound engineers, and others in the creative arts space in the Ashanti Region.