At a policy debate with creative arts stakeholders at the AH Hotel in Accra on Friday, June 7, 2024, John Mahama declared that the creative sector had the potential to create millions of jobs for Ghanaians.
He noted that while creatives are the most successful and wealthy people around the world, the same cannot be true for Ghana.
“The creative arts is a very important industry and has the potential to create millions of jobs. All our young people who are sitting at home, many of them are talented but there are no opportunities for them to show their talents. So if we are able to put the creative industry on a sound footing, it will create opportunities for many of our young people,” John Mahama said.
The following are John Mahama’s 22 policy ideas to transform the tourism and creative arts sector:
(1) To make budgetary allocation for the creative arts
(2) Declare the Golden Age of Culture, Arts and Tourism, an overarching policy for the sector: where there will be actions and modules to promote job creation and entrepreneurship. Under this will be the BlackStar Experience, which will be one of the sub-themes to imbue Africanism in Ghanaians and encourage people to come from all over the world to see our arts, tourism and culture.
(3) Renovate Centres of Arts and Culture in the various regions.
(4) To streamline copyright modalities and IP Laws
(5) There will be film festivals where Ghanaian films will be exhibited.
(6) They will also organise arts exhibitions, music shows, fashion programmes
(7) There will be special focus on drama and theatre arts: playwrights will be supported to exhibit their plays
(8) Creatives to attend international trade fairs to exhibit Ghanaian culture and arts.
(9) To pursue the dream of establishing a film village, get equipment at low cost for film makers.
(10) To rehabilitate the National Theatre in Accra and build a second National Theatre in Kumasi.
(11) To acquire a special event channel for the creative arts programmes on digital terrestrial television (DTT), provide a technology that will make that show payable, so people will pay to watch.
(12) To give special rates for performances at Blackstar Square, Accra International Conference Centre and other venues owned by the government.
(13) Encourage the teaching of music and arts in the curriculum: provide trained teachers for such subjects.
(14) Introduce tax breaks for creative artists who have Tax Identification Numbers (TIN).
(15) Formalise a fund for aging artistes.
(16) Revive the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC)
(17) In partnership with the private sector, develop all the tourist sites
(18) Revive the Marine Drive Project
(19) Provide Amusement Parks
(20) Review the tourism fund, make sure it benefits the various stakeholders in the tourism value chain
(21) Build a new city on the banks of the Volta Region with facilities that will generate arts activities and boost tourism.
(22) Hold annual stakeholders dialogue with people in the Creative Arts.
