The newly appointed Minister for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, recently met with the Ghana Culture Forum to discuss the future of the cultural sector in Ghana.
In the meeting, held on April 18, 2024, Mercer praised the Ghana Culture Forum for being the leading cultural civil society organization and emphasized the need to prioritize all three sectors under the ministry’s purview equally.
Mercer acknowledged the importance of creating a conducive environment for practitioners in the cultural and arts sectors to thrive. He also stressed the importance of regular interaction between policymakers and practitioners to better understand their needs and challenges.
On the other hand, the Ghana Culture Forum, led by its Vice-Chairperson Ahuma Bosco Ocansey, raised several key issues for the Ministry to address. They called for the commissioning of research to gather comprehensive data on the culture and creative sector, with the aim of creating a data hub accessible to all stakeholders.
Additionally, GCF urged the Ministry to finalize and enforce Legislative Instruments for cultural sector laws and establish funds as outlined in the cultural laws to support creative practitioners.
Furthermore, Mercer disclosed that the Ministry has received financial clearance to complete the Western Region Cultural Centre and hinted at pursuing the amphitheatre project. He pledged to finalize the Legislative Instruments for cultural laws and ensure the operationalization of the Creative Arts Agency and National Film Authority.
Regarding the National Theatre, Mercer mentioned exploring commitments made by the government of China for its maintenance. It was agreed that the Ghana Culture Forum would submit formal proposals for the discussed projects to the Ministry.
