Renowned actor Mikki Osei Berko has called on the government to provide more support to improve Ghana’s creative arts sector.
In an interview with GhanaWeb’s Elsie Lamar on Talkertainment, he expressed optimism about the future of the creative arts industry, especially with the election of creatives to Parliament.
According to him, the sector has the potential to become a major economic driver if it receives the necessary policy backing.
Mikki Osei Berko emphasised that tourism, Ghana’s second-highest income earner after minerals, heavily relies on the media and creative arts for promotion.
“I know for a fact that the second highest income earner for the country is tourism, apart from minerals. Tourism can only be activated and propelled through the media and the creative arts. If you ask why people want to live in America, it’s what they have seen in films, what they have seen as a projection of the country,” he said.
He added, “So if we do things right, it could become the highest national income earner. Having stakeholders like John Dumelo in policymaking positions will bring much-needed change,” he said. “If they push for policies to develop and sustain the creative arts, it could become Ghana’s top income earner, surpassing even cocoa and gold.”
However, he lamented the lack of policies in Ghana that supports local content and talent development, resulting in the dominance of foreign programs on TV stations.
“The reason we have not made inroads is because we have not backed it with policy. Do we even talk about it in parliament? Do we make policies about it?” he said.
He continued, “Now you see TV stations broadcasting foreign programmes. That’s where sponsorship and financing come in. If you have the media space being pushed to use Ghanaian talents and Ghanaian products on their screens, they will be forced to find sponsorship to develop the industry. But there’s no policy like that. I hear there is, but whether it is being adhered to or not is another question altogether.”
He also established that the creative arts sector is not only a cultural asset but also a huge source of employment, citing how film and commercial productions can employ dozens of people on set.
Watch the full interview below:
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