Baba Sadiq is a politician and a music executive
Politician and music executive Baba Sadiq has called on the Creative Arts Agency to take an active role in collecting and publishing credible data on Ghana’s creative industry.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z on November 1, 2025, Baba Sadiq emphasised that accurate data is crucial for shaping policies, attracting investment, and guiding decision-making in the creative sector.
He pointed out that the absence of a reliable data system makes it difficult for stakeholders to assess the economic impact of the arts and entertainment industry.
From Drone Shots to Density Maps: Estimating ShattaFest’s massive crowd
Baba Sadiq made these comments during a discussion on the huge turnout at ShattaFest 2025, Shatta Wale’s birthday concert held at the Black Star Square on October 18, 2025.
The event, themed ShattaFest 2025 x Shattabration: The King Calls, drew one of the largest crowds ever seen at a single entertainment event in Ghana.
A JoyNews report estimated that more than 400,000 fans attended, while a separate claim by the Shatta Movement’s PRO, Sammy Flex, suggested the number could have reached as high as 600,000.
When Baba Sadiq was asked whether the Creative Arts Agency should be responsible for verifying and publishing attendance figures and other event statistics, he was firm in his response.
“It’s inherent in their mandate to lead research and advocacy for the industry, so I don’t know what they are doing. Once it’s inherent in their mandate, they are supposed to,” he said.
The Creative Arts Agency, established in 2021, was tasked with developing and promoting Ghana’s creative sector, conducting research, leading policy initiatives, supporting capacity building, and coordinating data-driven programs aimed at enhancing the global competitiveness of the creative economy.
Watch the promo to GhanaWeb’s latest documentary, which uncovers the evolution of ‘kayamata,’ an exploitative practice fueled by love charms and manipulation, titled, “The Dark Side of Kayamata,’ below:
AK/MA
