Institute work permit for creative arts professionals from other countries – FOCAP

Federation Of Concerned Arts Professionals (FOCAP), an arts-based pressure group of experts has asked Government to institute work permit for creative arts professionals from other Countries.

“FOCAP realizes with keen concern the urgency and the passion the Ghana Revenue Authority is campaigning for the payment of taxes by the general populace and the irony of how we are letting go of some sources of revenue in connection with the creative arts industry.”

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We have noticed that over the years we have lost a lot of revenue through the non payment of work permit by creative arts professionals from other parts of the world that come to Ghana. Over the years, creative arts professionals who have come to Ghana to ply their trade, have entered our country without any form of work permit to give them restrictions and to generate revenue for our country. Musician, Actors, Actresses and a lot of Creative Arts Professionals come to work in Ghana, get paid and export the money out of Ghana without any work permit or income tax liability on them.

Creative arts professionals from Ghana to other parts of the world have always paid this levy/tax to their visiting countries through event promoters, production houses and others. FOCAP believes it is time the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture, the National Commission on Culture, Musician’s Union of Ghana, Ghana Music Rights Organization (GHAMRO), Film Producers Association, Ministry of Finance and all the relevant domains come to the drawing board to institute some form of by law that would establish the payment of work permit by foreign nationals who come to ply their trade here.

FOCAP wishes to also recommend that a percentage of this revenue should be earmarked for the creative arts fund to be distributed to all the welfare funds under the various domains such as Ageing Musicians Welfare Fund instituted by the Musician Union of Ghana.

FOCAP believes this is a revenue stream if reviewed properly would generate funds that can be targeted at the creative arts industry. We also wish to suggest that, bearing in mind the very cordial marriage between tourism and creativity, a percentage of the tourism levy should be seeded for the development and empowerment of the welfare funds under the various creative arts domains.

FOCAP believes the sector Minister Mad. Catherine Afeku should be the lead of this discussion to make sure this is instituted under her watch and to also setup the board for the National Commission on Culture to run effectively because the full capacity of the commission would be needed in implementing such a measure.

FOCAP still awaits the appointment of the Executive Secretary by H.E President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to the National Film Authority and the setting up of the board of the National Film Authority by the sector Minister (MOTAC).