I’ll be shocked if Akufo Addo scraps Creative Arts Ministry – Rex Omar

Veteran highlife musician, Rex Omar says he will be surprised if President-elect Nana Akufo Addo abolishes creative arts ministry in his government.

In an interview with Kojo Preko Dankwa on Kasapa Entertainment, the ‘Dada Di Da’ hit singer stated that the New Patriotic Party’s message that won them political power in the 2016 election was job creation which caught on so well with Ghanaians.

According to him, the Creative Art industry can boast of numerous jobs for the youth which can facilitate the reduction of the high unemployment rate in the country.

“If the NPP government wants jobs especially for the youth then they should look at the creative arts sector critically. If Nana Addo scraps the creative arts industry we will talk and talk very loudly because there are a lot of musicians who’ve gone into politics because of the neglect of creative industry.”

He continued that, “creative art is intertwined with tourism so the NPP shouldn’t play lip service to it.”

When asked by the host which party had the best to offer Ghanaians in creative arts comparing the NPP’s manifesto to the NDC, he said “I think those behind the NPP’s manifesto on creative art should’ve known and done better.

“You can’t throw your culture somewhere and think you are developing. How can you develop without your culture,” he noted.

The award winning artiste disclosed that the creative arts sector is one area that employs a lot of people.

“It is very broad, talking about film, fashion, music, software development, sculpture, drama etc., but it lacks money. You’ve to diverse a strategy that Ghana will use as a platform to spring to other territories.

“We need to groom people who understand the business aspect of creative arts so that they will be linkages between the global market and the artists. Creative arts is too big for one director, we need different directors for different sectors if we really want to succeed.”