A timeline of failed promises on the construction of amphitheatres by the NPP government

For an extensive period, Ghana’s creative arts sector has fervently appealed to successive governments and private entities to establish expansive auditoriums to alleviate the strain on the limited number of venues accessible throughout the country.

With the calls getting louder, the New Patriotic Party in its bid to win players in the creative arts industry considered the construction of modern large seating theatres as part of its Manifesto.

Today, the question is, “How far has the NPP gone in honouring these promises to the Creative Arts industry?”

In this article, we share a timeline of the promises made by the NPP government and their commitment to them.

The promises started with the 2016 Manifesto.

Under Chapter 17, page 172 of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Manifesto for Election 2016, the NPP promised the construction of modern large seating theatres in every regional capital except Accra.

"We will pursue the construction of modern large seating theatres in every regional capital except Accra, beginning with Takoradi, Tamale and Kumasi, as well as setting up an additional Copyright Office in Tamale to cater for the northern sector in addition to the existing ones in Accra and Kumasi."

Sadly, none of the modern large seating theatres was constructed during the four-year term of the NPP.

The government, however, did renovate the Koforidua Center For National Culture.

Ahead of the elections in 2020, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in its Manifesto dubbed “Four More To Do More” promised to construct new theatres in Takoradi and Tamale.

Under Part 1.17. Tourism, Chieftancy, Culture and Creative Arts, the party re-echoed its 2016 promise stating that it shall "construct modern, large seating theatres in every regional capital except Accra, beginning with Takoradi, Tamale and Kumasi."

A section of Part 4, page 164 under Creative Arts Industry as a Growth Pole reads: "In addition to completing the theatre in Kumasi, we will construct new theatres in Takoradi and Tamale."

Two years later after winning the elections, (in October 2022), the former Minister of Tourism, Arts And Culture, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal announced the government’s plan to build 5 amphitheatres by the end of the year (2022). He also revealed that the same number will be replicated in other 5 regions, covering almost every region in the country by the end of 2024.

However, none of the projects commenced until Wednesday, April 26, 2023, (six months after the announcement) when a sod-cutting ceremony was held in Kumasi to start the construction of the first amphitheatre.

During the ceremony, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku-Mantey revealed and assured all that the one-thousand-capacity state-of-the-art amphitheatre would be completed in July 2023 (3 months after the commencement of the project). However, much is left to be said of the project today as developers have left the site at the time of publication.

He said the amphitheatre will serve as a venue for performances and other forms of entertainment and also aid Industry players in planning for events.

The construction of the amphitheatres is funded by the World Bank as confirmed by Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku-Mantey.

In an interview with David Akwetey on Luv FM, the Deputy Minister revealed funds for the construction were readily available and “sitting in a Ghanaian account.”

He also stated, “It was part of the grant money that we distributed to support the people in the Tourism, Arts And Culture ecosystem.”

Dr. Awal’s dreams of constructing 15 amphitheatres across most regions will however not see the light of day as he was asked by the Ministry with barely a year to the end of his leader.

A Minister-designate, in the person of Andrew Egyapa Mercer, was announced on February 14, 2024, to take over the Ministry, maintaining Mark Okraku-Mantey in his role as deputy minister.

Following the lead of his predecessor, the Minister-designate on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, touched on the subject during a meeting at the Quarshie Idun Hall at Kumasi Cultural Center, and promised to see to the completion of the amphitheatres by the end of December 2024.

The major question on the lips of many is, “Is this another promise in futility?”