Barbara Oteng Gyasi is minister for tourism, arts.and culture
Filmmaker and entertainment critic Ola Michael has described the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Barbara Oteng Gyasi as a “total misfit” for the industry.
The movie director who is not impressed about the performance of Catherine Abelema Afeku’s successor stated in an interview with 3FM’s MzGee that Madam Oteng Gyasi, having occupied the position for close to a year, clearly knows not how to run affairs as she is clueless about the sector.
“Catherine was on a learning process. She almost got some few things right before she exited. She has so many faults but was getting some few things right. This current one, to me, is a total misfit,” he said.
According to Ola, Akwasi Agyemang who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) should have rather been made the minister considering his exploits.
“I wish they could have brought somebody like Akwasi Agyemang who seems to be now running the whole industry in a very simple way. This woman doesn’t know jack about what she’s doing,” he posited.
“Akwasi Agyemang is running the industry. Right now, Kumasi people are getting loans from GTA. This minister couldn’t do anything about it.”
Asked if Madam Oteng Gyasi should not be given a thumps up for Mr. Agyemang’s achievement since he works under her ministry, Ola responded: “She doesn’t control GTA levies. The levies go directly to GTA accounts and I can tell you for a fact that last year, she was borrowing money from GTA.”
He further claimed that some people who have the interest of the industry at heart and are willing to change the narrative are backing off following the incessant and unbearable obstructions they are greeted with at the ministry.
He said: “There are so many here at the industry that have got what it takes to make the industry work but the frustrations are pushing them away and they are unable to do it.
Government is not supporting so they also feel like ‘if nobody is supporting us, let’s just forget and do something else’”.
In February last year, Catherine Abelema Afeku was removed from office as Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture and was assigned to the office of the Senior Minister as Minister of State at the Office of the President.
Since her appointment as minister in 2017, a lot of people in the tourism and creative industry criticised her for underperforming and even called on the president to fire her from her post.
