Kojo Preko Dankwa, President of the Foundation of Concerned Creative Art Professionals (FOCAP), has slammed Ghanaian politicians for their failure to honour promises made to the creative arts sector.
Kojo Dankwa also said emphasized that creatives themselves bear some responsibility for the lack of progress, citing a failure to hold politicians accountable for their commitments.
He argued that it is “the laziness of creatives” that allows politicians to neglect their pledges, stating that while it’s commendable for creatives to contribute to political manifestos, they must also unite and push for the necessary political will to ensure those promises are fulfilled.
According to Dankwa, creatives must take an active role in demanding accountability, instead of passively waiting for change.
One of the key issues discussed was the appointment of creatives to leadership positions in the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture. Dankwa supported the idea but stressed that if these appointees fail in their duties, the industry must be bold enough to hold them accountable. He pointed out that many promises, including the highly publicized plan to build new recording studios, have yet to materialize. “That promise fell flat on arrival,” he stated, explaining that the proposal to build studios was poorly planned and lacked proper consultation with industry players who already own studios.
Dankwa didn’t hold back in his assessment of Mark Okraku Mantey, the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, accusing him of underperformance due to internal party politics. He criticized Okraku Mantey for failing to deliver on key promises, particularly the studio project. “Mark is good(in music), but does he know about the others(sectors)?” Dankwa questioned, highlighting the disconnect between political appointments and the actual needs of the industry.
He also expressed frustration with the politicization of the creative arts sector, noting that any criticism of government initiatives is often met with accusations of being affiliated with the opposition party, NDC. “When we complain, they label us as NDC supporters, but when we were helping them, they didn’t call us that,” Dankwa remarked.
Dankwa called on all creatives to unite for the betterment of the industry, encouraging them to join at least one professional domain to help strengthen the sector, he concluded.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com Ebenezer Madugu