Dear Madam Dzifa Gomashie: A letter from creative players

OVER the years, players in the tourism and creative industry have been vocal with their demands for the growth of the sector. And as a result, oftentimes, sector ministers come under ‘boiling pressure’ from stakeholders.

So it was, therefore, not a surprise the conversation of who got nominated as Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts became a heated debate a few weeks ago.

With President John Dramani Mahama naming veteran actress and Member of Parliament (MP) for Ketu South, Madam Dzifa Gomashie, as the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, the stakes are already high for the Minister who was deputy minister for the sector from 2013-2017.

With her approval following her vetting on Wednesday, January 22,  2025, some creative players have started laying their demands at Madam Dzifa Gomashie’s doorsteps. 

In separate interviews with the Daily Graphic, some industry players proposed a comprehensive plan to transform the sector. 

Francis Doku, a communications professional and tourism enthusiast, charged the incoming minister to lead policy implementation and institutional strengthening, infrastructure development, access and financing, promotion and intellectual property rights. 

The rest are education and capacity-building, international promotion and market access and tax incentives and support for investments, a vibrant national arts calendar and creative arts in Tourism promotion.

“The Creative Industry needs a robust policy framework that translates into actionable programmes. For instance, the Creative Arts Agency must be empowered with resources, autonomy and expertise to drive development.

“The establishment of purpose-built infrastructure, such as theatres, music recording studios, art galleries, and film villages in regional capitals, is long overdue.

Such facilities will not only nurture talent but also serve as venues to showcase Ghanaian creativity to the world.

Mr Doku pointed out that accessibility to affordable and dedicated funding remains one of the biggest challenges for creative entrepreneurs, adding: “The government should make good on its promise of establishing a Creative Arts Fund, backed by partnerships with financial institutions, to provide grants and low-interest loans to artistes and industry players”.

He mentioned that offering tax breaks and incentives to local and international investors in the creative sector to attract significant investment was equally important.

“This could apply to building infrastructure, producing large-scale projects, or even sponsoring arts programmes,” he added.
Merging Creative Agencies

The President of Foundation of Concerned Arts Professionals (FOCAP), Kodwo Preko Dankwa, challenged the incoming minister to lead the establishment of strong data to drive policies and international opportunities.  

“The lack of data has really mellowed our industry, and we can only function properly and attract good funding with proper data. 

“Also, the Creative Arts Agency (CAA) needs a Legislative Instrument (LI) to function just as Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) is doing for its stakeholders. 

“The agencies under Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts are too many, I think we should merge some of them. For instance, why not merge agencies such as  National Theatre and National Commission on Culture (NCC)?

“Why keep agencies such as the Dubois Centre and Pan African Writers Association (PAWA) separately, and also why not put National Film Authority (NFA) as a department under Creative Arts Authority (CAA) which is a mother body,” he said.

Mr Dankwa challenged Madam Dzifa Gomashie to lead the completion of the Culture Policy, which was started by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

With the comedy industry growing, comedian Lekzy Decomic called on the new government to establish proper theatre structures to host their events. 

“Comedians are resorting to hotel conference rooms, which is very expensive. It is not even ideal for standup comedy show so I’m pleading for the establishment of proper theatre kind of auditorium across Ghana.

“Going forward, standup comedy should be factored into important policies made for the creative industry. As it stands now, comedians are performing outside the country and selling Ghana’s culture to the world.

“We have seen lots of development in the comedy industry and the sector deserves attention and investment from government,” he stated. 

Unity among creative units

Media personality,  Akwasi Aboagye, is urging the new administration to go beyond manifesto promises and focus on building a robust system to drive growth and development.

He called on the sector minister to prioritise the empowerment of key institutions, such as the National Film Authority and the Creative Arts Agency, by providing them with adequate human resources and funding.

Another critical area of concern is the long-standing disunity and fragmentation within the various associations in the creative sector. 

He appealed to the new government to intervene and help bring an end to these divisions, fostering a more united and collaborative environment that would ultimately benefit the sector as a whole.

“I want to see this new government strengthening bodies such as the National Film Authority, Creative Arts Agency and others with the requisite human resources and adequate funding to enable them to function properly as mandated by law,” he noted.

For his part, Oswald Okaitei, a poet/spoken word artist, said the incoming minister should collaborate with sector practitioners who possessed a deep understanding of the industry's inner workings, rather than relying solely on popular figures, adding, “It is crucial to tap into the expertise of those who have hands-on experience in the sector”.

“Additionally, the government must be reminded that the creative arts sector encompasses a diverse range of disciplines beyond music and film, including other often-overlooked domains that have been marginalised for far too long,” he stated. 

Empowering CAA

The empowerment of Creative Arts Agency (CAA) is among the top on the list of creative players and during her vetting, Dzifa Gomashie vowed to thoroughly evaluate the CAA's operations to revitalise Ghana's tourism and creative sector.

She believes a detailed review is necessary to ensure the agency's functions align with the ministry's broader objectives.

Profile of Dzifa Gomashie

Dzifa Gomashie is a highly respected actress, film producer, scriptwriter, and politician in Ghana. She's had a remarkable career, serving as the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts from 2013 to 2017.

Currently, she's the Member of Parliament for the Ketu South Constituency and a queenmother in the Aflao Traditional Area.

With the stakes high already, let’s see what Madam Dzifa Gomashie and the New Democratic Congress (NDC) will serve creative players with their table set for a good meal.