By Hafsa Obeng/ Mariam Haruna/ Nadia Ibrahim
Accra, Aug. 28, GNA – Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has called for greater recognition and respect for professionals in Ghana’s creative arts industry.
She said the creative sector had the potential to contribute significantly to national development and the economy, stressing the need for practitioners to have a stronger voice in decision-making processes affecting the industry.
Ms Gomashie made the call at a stakeholder engagement organised by the Creative Arts Agency (CAA) , in Accra to discuss challenges affecting the sector and explore ways of strengthening the industry.
She said there was a need for closer collaboration among academia, government institutions and creative practitioners to promote research, recognition and development within the sector.
She said the Ministry was also working to improve accessibility to cultural and creative works while creating opportunities for practitioners to generate sustainable revenue from their talents.
She noted that creatives played an important role in driving the creative economy and should, therefore, be positioned to benefit meaningfully from the value they created.
Madam Gomashie said Government had initiated engagements with institutions, including the Ghana Revenue Authority, to develop a better understanding of the creative sector and explore ways of supporting its growth.
She urged creative industry stakeholders to continue engaging with the Ministry and the CAA to identify challenges and develop practical solutions to strengthen the sector.
Mr Gideon Aryeequaye, Acting Executive Secretary, CAA, said the Agency would embark on nationwide stakeholder engagements to give creatives the opportunity to learn more about developments in the sector and contribute to discussions on its growth.
He said particular attention would be given to the Creative Arts Fund, including access to the Fund, as well as the registration framework for practitioners.
Mr Aryeequaye said the engagements would also enable the Agency to understand the challenges facing creatives and receive suggestions on how to improve its programmes.
He said the Agency had made significant progress in establishing the administrative and policy structures for the creative arts sector, with the next step being the implementation and promotion of regulations governing the industry.
The Acting Executive Secretary disclosed plans to establish regional and district offices of the CAA to bring its services closer to creatives across the country.
He said subsequent nationwide engagements would involve a broader range of creative industry practitioners, while a national dialogue would also be organised to assess progress and gather further recommendations from stakeholders.
The engagement brought together stakeholders from various creative disciplines to discuss developments, challenges and opportunities within Ghana’s creative arts industry.
GNA
Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba
Reporters: Hafsa Obeng/ Mariam Haruna /Nadia Ibrahim