The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamadu Bawumia has made a commitment to establish digital platforms for Ghanaian artists if he is elected President.
Bawumia expressed this during his lecture titled ‘Ghana’s Next Chapter: Selfless Leadership and Bold Solutions for the Future’ at the University of Professional Studies in Accra on February 7, 2024.
He emphasized the importance of creating opportunities for artists to thrive in the industry, stating, “We will introduce other initiatives such as digital and streaming platforms for our artists to make tourism and the creative arts a growth pole in Ghana.”
In addition to this, Dr. Bawumia pledged to build on the success of the Year of Return, Beyond the Return, and December in Ghana.
He also highlighted the intention to alleviate the burden of taxes on creatives, ensuring that tax incentives will be provided for film producers and musicians.
Furthermore, Dr. Bawumia reiterated the NPP’s promise to implement an e-visa policy for all international visitors to Ghana, enabling visas to be obtained in minutes, subject to security and criminal checks.
However, the NPP has received criticism from stakeholders in the creative industry for not fulfilling some of its previous promises.
These unmet commitments include the establishment of the Creative Arts Fund to support artists, the construction of theatres in Kumasi, Takoradi, and Tamale, and the failure to establish recording studios in partnership with the private sector in Accra, Kumasi, Tamale, and Takoradi, as well as finishing the construction of a convention and exhibition centre at the Ghana Trade Fair Company site in La.
Dr. Bawumia’s assurance of creating digital platforms for artists aligns with the NPP’s 2020 Manifesto for the creative industry.
As the general election draws nearer, stakeholders in the creative industry will be keen to see how these promises translate into concrete actions if the NPP is elected for another term.
