The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has urged business leaders to see culture and tourism as serious economic drivers, saying Ghana’s heritage, music, film and fashion are valuable assets that can create jobs, attract investment and earn foreign exchange.
She made the call in a keynote address at the Ghana CEO Vision and Awards, where she spoke on the importance of leadership, innovation and excellence in national development.
"As Minister responsible for tourism, culture and creative arts, I see enormous opportunities at the intersection of business, culture and tourism," she said.
According to her, the country’s heritage festivals, music, film, fashion, gastronomy, hospitality and creative talent are more than expressions of identity.
"They are valuable economic assets. Every festival can become a tourism attraction. Every creation and creative production can create employment. Every cultural experience can generate investments. Every Ghanaian story, properly packaged and promoted, can become an export to the world," she said.
Madam Gomashie said Ghana must change how it sees these sectors.
"We must therefore move beyond seeing culture as entertainment and tourism as leisure. They are powerful industries capable of generating wealth, creating sustainable livelihoods, attracting foreign exchange, and strengthening Ghana’s global identity," she stated.
She also had a direct message for the financial leaders in the room, reminding them that money made by creatives flows back into the banking system.
"When the creatives make money, they bring it to your banks. Remember that when you are thinking about the development of your institutions," she said.
The minister said her ambition was to build an economy that gives creative and cultural workers the same standing as traditional business owners.
"Our ambition must be to build an economy in which the creative entrepreneur is valued as the industrialist. The filmmaker is recognised as an investor. The cultural practitioner is respected as an economic contributor and the tourism operator is seen as a strategic partner in national development," she said.
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