Former Deputy Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Mark Okraku-Mantey has urged the government to avoid directly funding museums dedicated to late celebrities, warning that such moves could stir unnecessary disputes and harm public perception.
In an interview on Hitz FM’s Daybreak Hitz with Kwame Dadzie, he stressed that while safeguarding the heritage of Ghanaian creatives is vital, state-led projects honouring specific individuals risk accusations of bias.
“Government should not even show interest in any museum of any celebrity. Yes, let me tell you why. I’ve been there, done that. Knowing my people, they will come and say ‘they did it for Lumba but they didn’t do it for Dada KD’. A government can become unpopular out of this. By just taking a step to do it for one person and not doing for the other person, it can bring problems. So government can create the enabling environment like the land we offered,” he explained.
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Okraku-Mantey argued that the state should limit its role to creating opportunities, such as providing land, while leaving construction, funding, and maintenance to the private sector and local communities. He cited the Kwahu traditional authorities’ ongoing plans to build a museum for the late “King of Highlife” Nana Kwame Ampadu in his hometown as an example of community-led preservation.
“So for government to be safe, not to worry you for your votes, just play safe, create the enabling environment so that the private sector people come on board. They are the ones who can maintain these infrastructure. The government infrastructure itself is struggling,” he stated.
Watch his statement below.
