Dr Ziblim Iddi, Deputy Minister-Designate for Tourism, Creative Arts and Culture announced that the ministry would fast track the Creative Arts bill to get the sector to be fully integrated into the tourism industry. He said the ministry would also launch the Creative Arts fund to support players in the industry.
Dr Iddi made the statement when he appeared before the Appointment Committee of Parliament at Parliament House in Accra.
The nominee who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Gushegu is among the last batch of four Ministers of State and 50 Deputy Ministers being vetted by the Appointment Committee.
Dr Iddi also stated that the current tourism sector was about the fourth foreign exchange earner for the country.
He stated that ‘tourism is one of the low hanging fruit that the country has failed to plug.’
He explained that the tourism sector is one area where the country could look up to in terms of its revenue mix.
Dr Iddi further announced that the ministry would create the Creative Arts Council that would set up a platform to help members of the sector to relate effectively with the ministry.
He said in Ghana the tourism sector was built on creative arts and as such the two were interdependent and called for concerted efforts to ensure that Ghana became a tourism friendly destination.
Dr Iddi called for public education on the country’s coastal communities to keep the beaches and environment clean to attract the tourists to those places adding that the ministry would fast track the Marine-Drive project that it inherited from the previous government to boost the country’s tourism sector.
He stressed the need for the country to enhance research and development to improve the tourism sector and announced the creation of the Destination Management Organisation (DMO) to bring stakeholders in the tourism sector together as well as enhance the management of the various tourist sites.
He said the sector Minister had called for a national audit of all tourist sites to know their state of affairs and the obligation of the state to protect such places.
Ms Tina Mensah, Deputy Minister-Designate for Health who also appeared before the Appointment Committee debunked claims that she is hot tempered and likely to give her Minister problems.
She pledged to work to ensure that the Ministry of Health delivered on its mandate to the people.
Mr Collins Ntim, Deputy Minister-Designate for Local Government and Rural Development who appeared before the Appointment Committee stated that his ministry would collaborate with Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources to address the issues of sanitation the country.
He said the tensions between DCEs and MPs could be addressed when the parties were made to know their respective roles within the assembly.
He also debunked claims that he stormed a radio station, Cruise FM and slapped a presenter at the station.
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