UK High Commissioner to Ghana, Sabah Zita Benson, has called for stronger collaboration between the government and private sector to invest in Ghana’s creative industry, particularly music, arts and tourism.
According to her, developing the creative sector should not be the sole responsibility of the government, stressing the need for private-sector investment to complement government efforts.
She made the remarks in an interview with JoyNews on the sidelines of a music event in Manchester in the United Kingdom, which featured performances from Ghanaian artistes including Kofi Kinaata, Wendy Shay and Akwaboah.
Speaking on the importance of promoting Ghana’s music industry internationally, Ms. Benson said music plays a significant role in telling Ghana’s story and projecting the country onto the global stage.
“Music tells a story about a people. And music puts us on the international map. So for me, promoting our music goes a long way, working in the UK and hearing a Kofi Kinaata and Wendy Shays song. It gives me a sense of pride.
“People want to know who sang the song, where they’re coming from and they want to visit. So it’s not just about promoting the songs, but it’s also a way of driving tourism, where our culture is being heavily promoted.”
She further stressed the importance of investment in the sector, noting that recent government funding for tourism demonstrates the importance attached to the sector.
“I think I recently heard that there have been some funds released to the tourism sector that should tell you how important the sector is to the government. But you should also know the promotion and support for the tourism and arts industry should not be one person’s job alone.
“It must be collective, the government will do its part and the private sector must also be able to invest in the creative sector. For instance, the private sector can build a film studio where our actors can access it – has to be a private and public partnership.”
Ms Benson’s comments highlight the need for a broader approach to developing Ghana’s creative economy, with government providing support while businesses and other private investors contribute infrastructure, funding and other resources.
She believes such collaboration could create more opportunities for creatives while strengthening Ghana’s position as a destination for culture, entertainment and tourism.
Her comments also reinforce the growing recognition of music and the wider creative industry as important tools for promoting Ghana internationally and attracting visitors interested in the country’s culture and entertainment.
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
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