More creative arts related jobs coming - Mahama

The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr John Dramani Mahama, has announced that as part of his job creation drive, he will pay particular attention to creating jobs in the creative arts industry for the youth of the country should he win the 7 December 2020 polls.

Citing Nigeria’s creative industry, he stated that Ghana could “follow the same path” to exploring opportunities and creating jobs for the youth in the creative arts industry.

“Infrastructure is a driver and it propels economic prosperity but I’m saying that at the same time, everything we do should be geared toward creating jobs for the youth.

“That is why in the next administration that I head everything will be geared towards creating more jobs in, say the creative arts.

“You can imagine how many people can be employed in the creative arts industry as film directors, as sound engineers, as sound men. Nigeria has got it right and how Nigeria has done it, we can follow the same path and move our creative arts to the next level,” he said.

The former President made this known in an interview on TV XYZ on Sunday 23 August 2020.

According to him, the starting point will be to provide an avenue for students with interest in the creative arts to be groomed and adequately prepared.

"I’ve suggested that NAFTI, National Film and Television Institute, be turned into a modern Multimedia University that will train sound people, lights people, musicians and all of them and create a conducive environment like building theatres and studios so that when a movie director shoots his movie, he will not have to share the proceeds with a private theatre 50/50 but rather the government theatre will just take 25% per cent so that the movie maker can also invest the money made, in producing other movies.

“Creating studios where they can use the studio at a subsidised fee," he said.

He also called for the creation of channels, through which creative industry people will receive incentives from the government for displaying their creativity.

This, he said, will increase productivity in the sector.

"The government should create a platform for young producers to come and showcase what they’ve been able to do.

“How much will it cost to give them the National Theatre, have an Accra film festival, collaborate with the private sector to do an Accra film festival, the government can give prizes to the best movie.

"There are people doing Accra fashion week so you help them. Let all the fashion designers come and showcase the new models. People will come from Nigeria and things to attend, the hotels they will bring money in, they will stay in hotels," he added.