Don't waste our tax payers money on needless Tourism TV - Afeku slammed

The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, recently announced that, the Ministry has secured a licence from the National Communication Authority (NCA), to establish a tourism television to promote the Ghanaian culture, arts and tourism destinations in the country.

The Minister further announced that, feasibility studies had been conducted and the documents forwarded to a consultant to help secure an office accommodation for the television, while feverish preparation was underway to launch it.

Catherine Afeku further indicated that, the move will help rejuvenate the sector, and boost its economic contribution to the country.

“We have a lot of creative content and we are competing with foreign countries which are saturating our media platform. So 9 months ago I came up with a concept that we need an outlet for our creative arts people,” she stated.

However, her decision to establish the tourism tv has been described as waste of resources.

Female entertainment critic, Rosindy Frimpomaa Attakorah, took a swipe at the decision stating, it would be a wastful venture.

He tasked the Minister to concentrate on revamping the collapsed Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) instead wasting tax payers money to establish the tourism tv. In her view, GBC will not sell for GHc10.

''Those watching GTV are less than 3 people,’’ she posited. On his part, controversial critic, Alfred Kwame Larbi aka DJ Oxygen, also slammed the decision.

He also mocked the idea to launch two mobile tv channels namely: Agya Koo TV and Daddy Lumba TV. He also quizzed the current state of the national television channels to warrant another television station.

‘’The idea to establish the tourism tv is needless. It will not help the Ministry. The idea should be scrapped. The Ministry should make use of the existing channels owned by the state to promote tourism,’’ he added.

Renowned producer and CEO of Media Excel Productions Kwasi Ernest, advocated for the Tourism aspect of the entire ministry, to be separated so it would have more attention.