Government recognises Make-Up & Beauty Industry - Catherine Afeku

Minister for Tourism Arts & Culture, Catherine Afeku, has assured government’s interest in the make-up and beauty industry in Ghana.

Speaking at the opening of the 2018 edition of the Make-Up & Beauty Week at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra on Wednesday, she underscored that government is aware the beauty industry is one of the most lucrative sectors in the creative arts business.

It is, therefore, doing all it can to support and regulate the industry for the betterment of the youth who find themselves in that sector.

The assurance follows recent calls by some stakeholders to regulate the industry because of the upsurge in the number of make-up artists, which they alleged is affecting standards.

The Make-Up & Beauty Week, which was organised by Make-Up Ghana, with support from the Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture, brought stakeholders together to help find solutions for challenges affecting the industry.

“The government of President Nana Addo sees this industry as pivotal to helping bring the entrepreneurial skills and artistic talent of young men and women in this sector. As your ministry, we are doing all we can in terms of policy, guidelines and support to ensure that it is mainstream. It is 60-billion plus industry,” Mrs Afeku said at the event.

“Back in the day when people are selling cosmetology, you were looked down up because they thought you were not scientists, doctors, nurses etc. Today, 21st century, we make more money than those traditional jobs… when you walk around, there are three things I will like you to note: standards, quality and professionalism. It is not everybody that is in the beauty business to make people beautiful. So you need to take time, learn the rudiments and be a professional make-up artist or beautician,” she added.

The minister also tasked the industry to be ambassadors of made-in-Ghana beauty products and join the fight against open defecation along Ghana’s coastline.

The 2018 Make-Up & Beauty Week opened with the African make-up & beauty fair (AMB Fair) on Wednesday. It included activities such as exhibitions, workshops, seminars, training and make-up runway shows.

The opening ceremony was also attended by Grace Amey-Obeng (CEO, FC Group of Companies), Dentaa Amoateng (CEO, GUBA Enterprise –UK), Kubi Springer (CEO, She Builds Brands – UK), Chief of Staff Abu Jinapor, Dzifa Gomashie former Minister for Tourism Arts & Culture, and Berla Mudi, who was the MC.