3 things KOKA believes the new tourism minister Egyapa Mercer must do

Ghanaian entertainment critic and event organizer, Kwaku Osei Koranteng Asiedu, popularly known as KOKA, has urged the incoming Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, to pay more attention and respect to the industry, which he said has been neglected and exploited for a long time.

It could be recalled that on February 14, 2024, President Akufo-Addo announced a ministerial reshuffle in his government and among the changes was the replacement of Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal with Andrew Egyapa Mercer as Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts,

In an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb Entertainment, KOKA highlighted three key things that the minister-designate should do to boost the creative arts industry within his ten months of office once he’s approved by parliament.

KOKA called on the minister-designate to ensure that the Creative Arts Bill, which was passed by Parliament in 2020, becomes operational by pushing for the Legal Instrument (LI) that will provide the institutional framework and the Creative Arts Fund for the sector.

“The LI, that we need to get the Creative Arts Bill operational should be pushed and then he should help us with the lobbying so that we get it done,” he said.

He also called for a facelift of some recreational facilities, such as the National Theatre and the Accra International Conference Centre.

"The Conference Centre and National Theatre need some form of renovation. Especially the ACs, they need to be worked on from now till the end of the year or we look for better people to manage it and get better people to come to do renovation in these two places.

"The Amphitheatre in Kumasi should be finished and ready for use in December," he stated

KOKA further asked for funding to be provided to the National Film Authority, which was established in 2019, to enable it produce quality documentaries and movies on some of the heroes and heroines of the country.

“They also need all the requisite funds to get them operational. And to get them, I mean governments should support them with some funds so that we can produce some documentaries and some movies on some heroes and heroines in the country,” he added.

KOKA is a well-known figure in the Ghanaian entertainment scene, who has been involved in organizing and hosting various events, such as concerts, awards, festivals, and seminars.

He is also a vocal and outspoken critic, who often shares his views and opinions on various issues affecting the entertainment industry.

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