Mahama calls on Kumasi creatives to support 'Reset Ghana' agenda

The Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has outlined a plan to transform the creative industry and harness its potential for growth if elected president in the December 7 elections. 

He has therefore called on those in the sector, especially those based in Kumasi, to support his “Reset Ghana” agenda and lead the charge to vote him and the NDC back into office.

Speaking at a meeting with a section of stakeholders in the creative industry in Kumasi last Tuesday, Mr Mahama said it was time for the government to make huge investments in the sector which had seen exponential growth in terms of revenue generation globally to reap some of its benefits for the development of the country. 

Creative fund

The next NDC government, under his leadership, he said, would make that investment to serve as a springboard for the sector’s growth.

Staging a comeback at the presidency, Mr Mahama has been engaging various groups to reiterate the need to vote the NDC back into office and promised his commitment to the vision of transforming the creative industry.

He said at the heart of this vision was the establishment of the Creative Arts Fund, designed to provide sustainable financial support to start-ups, as well as large, medium and small creative enterprises.

The fund, he said, would serve as a lifeline for struggling creative businesses, empowering them to manage resources efficiently and expand their ventures.

New theatres

Mr Mahama said the NDC would rehabilitate the National Theatre in Accra and build another one in Kumasi to support content creators in the region.

He noted that the party made the promise in its 2020 manifesto and would ensure that it was fulfilled by the next NDC government.

“In our 2020 manifesto, we promised to build Ghana’s second national theatre in Kumasi. We have not reneged on our promise and we are repeating that if we come into power, we will build our second theatre in Kumasi,” he said.

Mr Mahama lamented the poor state of the National Theatre in Accra and revealed that the plan also included modernising the theatre with state-of-the-art equipment to serve as a creative hub of artists nationwide.

He said since the National Theatre was built by the Chinese under former President Jerry John Rawlings, it had not been rehabilitated.

“A lot of things are in bad shape at the theatre. The curtains cannot be drawn, the stage is in bad shape and so it is time for us to rehabilitate the building so it can help the creative industry,” he said.