Minister inspects Kumasi facility for creative arts practitioners

Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, accompanied by Mr Andy Osei Okrah, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, have toured the proposed office facility for the Creative Arts Secretariat in Kumasi.

The office space is intended to serve practitioners within the Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, and the three northern regions.

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare, addressing the media and some industry players, said the creative arts industry undoubtedly has created jobs and provided regular income to many people and still does in spite of the fact that it is not having a legal regulatory framework.

She said it was for this reason and others that President John Mahama aligned Tourism with Culture and Creative Arts to harness these potentials.

She said the establishment of a secretariat for the northern sector was in fulfillment of the President’s promise of creating the enabling environment for the creative arts sector to thrive than it is currently doing.

She gave the assured them of a well-equipped state of the arts secretariat to make their operations effective and efficient, whilst awaiting the passage of the Creative Arts bill into an Act to streamline activities of the sector within a legal context.

According to the Minister, the presentation of cars and the setting up of the Creative Arts Fund for the aged were some of the indications of government’s commitment.

Some of the practitioners commended government for the many inroads being made in the sector such as the promulgation of the creative arts bill, provision of cars and other logistics for their operations.

The Minister used the occasion to visit Ghanaian Actor, Joseph Nana Osei, otherwise known as Wayoosi at his home.

The visit was in fulfillment of a promise made by the minister when she learnt of the hospitalisation of the actor.

Wayoosi expressed gratitude to the President and the Minister for the immense assistance when he was hospitalised.