SONA 2019: 8 things Nana Addo said about the creative arts industry

He mentioned eight major projects and steps taken by his government to ensure growth in the creative arts industry.

They include the Creative Arts Bill, the newly introduced Creative Arts Masterclass, renovations of cultural centres (theatres) and tourist sites, a draft Legislative Instrument (LI) to ensure world-class standards are set and maintained at all our tourism sites and attractions, and more.

If you missed the entire speech, we bring you eight topical creative arts industry issues covered in Nana Addo’s State of the Nation Address.

The Creative Arts Bill

“Mr Speaker, we are continuing with initiatives to improve the Creative Arts Sector. We have also worked to finalise the Creative Arts Bill, leading to the setting up of the Creative Arts Fund,” Nana Addo noted.

Creative Arts Masterclass

He said: “For the first time, in 2018, Government provided support to the Creative Arts Council, and the Creative Arts Masterclass, to build capacity of Creative Arts practitioners, has also commenced.”

Eastern Regional Theatre renovation completed, Kumasi Theatre under renovation

“The Eastern Regional Theatre has been completed, and work is currently ongoing towards the construction of the Kumasi theatre,” he stated.

See Ghana, Eat Ghana, Wear Ghana and Feel Ghana campaign improves

“Mr Speaker, considering how often Ghana is in the news usually for good reasons, we have not been able to attract as many visitors to our country as we should. We are making a special effort from now onwards to attract tourists into our country. Under the See Ghana, Eat Ghana, Wear Ghana and Feel Ghana campaign, the Ghana Tourism Authority recorded a 20% growth since its launch to over six hundred thousand visitations to various tourist sites,” the president mentioned.

World Bank US$40 million grant

Nana Addo also said: “The World Bank has approved a US$40 million grant to support the Tourism Ministry and its agencies to help upgrade tourist facilities.”

"Year of Return” initiative

“In September 2018, in Washington D.C., in front of the Congressional Black Caucus of the United States Congress, I proclaimed 2019 as the "Year of Return”, commemorating the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first 20 West African slaves in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in what was to become the United States of America. We intend to use the symbolism of this “Year of Return” to bring together Africans, persons of African descent, and all well-wishers and lovers of freedom to strengthen the commitment to ensuring that the blots on our history, i.e. the Transatlantic Slave Trade and slavery, never reoccur. In response to this proclamation, some seventy (70) African-American Hollywood celebrities visited Ghana in December 2018. The year-long campaign, being coordinated by the Ghana Tourism Authority, is expected to increase arrivals considerably,” he said.

Tourist sites renovation and draft Legislative Instrument (LI)

“Training across the entire tourism sector is also receiving priority. The Hospitality Training Institute has been renovated, and re-opened in July 2018 to provide needed training in the hospitality and tourism sectors. Under a Tourism Attractions Upgrade Project, several tourist sites, including Elmina Heritage Bay, Axim Fort St. Antonio, Assin Manso Slave River, Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Farm, Bunso Arboretum, Kintampo Water Falls, are undergoing upgrades. A draft Legislative Instrument (LI) on Sites and Attractions is currently undergoing final stakeholder consultations. This will ensure world-class standards are set and maintained at all our tourism sites and attractions,” Nana Addo said.

Citizens’ contributions to the tourism sector

The president added: “Mr Speaker, the greatest attraction of our country is its people. Yes, we have castles and forts, we have waterfalls and dramatic mountain ranges, we have breath-taking beaches, and historical sites that reduce visitors to strong emotions, but it is the people of Ghana and our welcoming attitude that are the strongest attraction to visitors. We should never forget that we all have a responsibility to make visitors to our country feel welcome. In this “Year of Return”, when we have invited the world to visit, I would urge each one of us to make a special effort to make a visit to our country a memorable one. Our music, our foods, our clothes and the quintessential akwaaba smile will make a visitor to our country come back again and again.

Mr Speaker, but there are things that many of us do that would put off any visitor from visiting our country, no matter how attractive the geography or the history might be. I refer, especially, to some of our sanitation habits.”