By Precious Tetteh / Christabel Kporvie, GNA
Accra, June 17, GNA – Artisans at the Arts Centre in Accra have called on Ghanaians and the Government to support locally made products to enable them to contribute to the development of the economy.
They said low patronage by residents and declining tourist arrivals were affecting their businesses.
The artisans said although the Arts Centre remained a major showcase of Ghana’s cultural heritage, limited publicity had left many people unaware of its location and the unique experiences it offered.
They urged the Ministry of Tourism to intensify efforts to promote Ghanaian crafts, stressing that increased support for Made-in-Ghana products would boost local businesses and contribute to national economic growth.
Mr Kojo Boateng, an artisan who sells kente, beads and African wear, told the Ghana News Agency that sales had been relatively low in recent times.
He said the business was seasonal, with customer patronage usually increasing during June and July, but noted that many Ghanaians did not patronise locally made products as much as foreigners.
“Unfortunately, when there are fewer tourists in the country, sales tend to decline significantly,” he said.
He urged Ghanaians to appreciate and purchase Made-in-Ghana products, which he described as having excellent quality.
Mr Boateng said countries such as China had achieved remarkable growth partly because their citizens supported products manufactured within their own country.
Mr Clement Forkuo, another artist, said most purchases of artworks occurred during December and were largely patronised by foreigners.
He attributed the low patronage by Ghanaians to the perception that locally made products were of lower quality than imported goods.
“Ghanaians often do not value and appreciate our crafts as much as foreigners do,” he said,.
He explained that imported products were mass-produced by machines and therefore sold at lower prices, while locally made products were mostly handmade with expensive raw materials.
Ms Loretta Abesigo, a trader at the Arts Centre, said business had been very slow, with some days passing without making any sales, adding that business usually picked up in June, July and December when tourist arrivals increased.
She called on the government and influential public figures to promote locally made products by wearing Ghanaian attire such as kente and fugu, saying visible support from leaders would encourage others to do same.
Ms Keziah Baah, another artisan, said sales had been inconsistent over the past two to three months, adding that customer patronage had declined significantly compared to previous years and called for better promotional programmes of the Centre to attract patronage.
The Arts Centre remains a vibrant hub of Ghanaian culture, showcasing cultural dances, sculptures, kente weaving and a wide range of traditional crafts.
The artisans appealed to Ghanaians to embrace locally made products to preserve the nation’s cultural heritage and promote economic growth.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe