Play Ghana pushes local music to holidaymakers

The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC) and the Creative Arts Agency (CAA) have launched an initiative to promote Ghanaian music, beginning this Christmas season.

The initiative, Play Ghana, is aimed at promoting Ghanaian music to thousands of visitors, particularly the Diaspora, who are expected to spend their holidays in the country during the Christmas holidays. 

At a press briefing in Accra last Thursday, players in the Creative Arts and entertainment industry, including music producer, Smallgod, hiplife legend, Reggie Rockstone, dancehall artiste, Samini, Afropop and hiplife talent, Black Sheriff, hiplife singer and entrepreneur, D-Black, and disc jockey DJ Mensah, among others, pledged to support the initiative.

They collectively called on players in the industry and all Ghanaians to make a conscious effort to project Ghanaian music in their activities or events during the festivities.

The state agencies stated that the initiative was not a competition, neither was it to stop people from playing foreign songs but rather to project Ghana’s rich music.

The press briefing was also attended by the Executive Director of the National Folklore Board, Bernice Deh-Kumah, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in charge of Operations at the Ghana Tourism Authority, Ekow Samson. 

Intensify collaboration

A Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku Mantey, reiterated the call to promote Ghana’s music, and said deliberate effort must be made to achieve a good result.

He also urged the public to contribute their part by selling hospitality and being nice to foreign visitors..

“It is right and ethical to promote Ghana. It should be intuitive to promote Ghana. The nightclubs, restaurants, pubs, television stations, presenters and churches must be deliberate about this. Let us be intentional about playing Ghanaian music,” Mr Mantey said.

The deputy minister, who is a former entertainment broadcaster, expressed the government’s commitment to working with players in the creative arts and entertainment industry to address their challenges and promote Ghanaian culture.

“We need each other to work together, the government, performers, DJs, road managers, performers and artistes,” Mr Mantey added.

Play Ghana

The Director of CAA, Gyankroma Akufo-Addo, stressed the importance of promoting Ghanaian music and other Ghanaian culture such as arts, food and fashion.

She said the initiative would not be a one-off event but a move to promote Ghanaian music all year round.

“Play Ghana initiative is not just for Christmas, it's starting now because it is the biggest season for players in the Creative Arts industry”. 

“We are urging radio stations, nightclubs and restaurants to consciously play Ghanaian music. Already, the producer, Smallgod, is moving from door to door to interact with the DJs,” Ms Akufo-Addo said.

Answering a question on the Cultural Policy which proposes 80 per cent local content and 20 per cent foreign content, she said it was being reviewed by the CAA, MoTAC, stakeholders and players within the industry.

“At the moment the law is there but it is not enforced and the split is not favourable to musicians,” she said.

Ms Akufo-Addo expressed the CAA’s commitment to the initiative and urged industry players to work together to make Ghanaian music dominant during the season.