Okraku-Mantey is a nice man - Shatta Wale on ministerial nomination brouhaha

Dancehall artiste Shatta Wale has rubbished claims he harbours hatred for Slip Music boss Mark Okraku-Mantey, a reason he vehemently opposed his possible nomination as Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture.

The popular musician had in a video clip that has gone viral poohpoohed the ability of Mr. Okraku-Mantey to elevate the industry and attend to the plight of stakeholders when appointed a deputy minister for the sector.

Among others, he expressed disgust over the non-payment of royalties, lack of structures, blatant disrespect for the arts which have contributed to some creatives living and dying as paupers.

“Mark Okraku-Mantey can’t help us. I am the one who can help the Ghana music industry. I swear,” a visibly angry Shatta Wale emitted.

His comment elicited numerous reactions from stakeholders with some suspecting that his action was influenced by hatred especially when Mr. Okraku-Mantey during his tenure of office as President of the Creative Arts Council pushed for the Creative Arts Bill to be passed into law.

But Shatta Wale in an interview with The Don on Hitz FM's U Say Wetin doused the growing tension.

"I was not trying to be rude to Mark Okraku-Mantey, he is a nice man, he likes me, he knows my character, he knows who I am, and he knows I like to free my mind," said Shatta Wale.

"But what I'm saying is, if we have Mark Okraku-Mantey going to represent us, he needs to come to my terms of agreement, the industry terms of agreement. If within six months, he can do magic, and we'll be seeing labels in Ghana, we'll sit down and fold our arms and watch him work. I respect Mark a lot and I know how he also wants to help the industry but we can't make mistakes this time. We are all grown-ups," he added.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal has been nominated by President Akufo-Addo as Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture. The former CEO of Graphic Communications Group has been moved from the Business Development Ministry which he had been heading since its creation in 2017 to the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry subject to approval by Parliament.