Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson
The creative arts and tourism sector has not been included in the 2025 budget presented before parliament on March 11, 2025.
The 69-page document, which was read in a one-hour, forty-minute presentation by the Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, saw no mention of an allocation to the tourism and creative arts sector.
This surprising development comes after President Mahama, during the height of the campaign season in 2024, in his manifesto for the creative arts, made a series of promises for the creative arts sector.
Mahama promised to empower filmmakers, musicians, and other creative arts stakeholders by offering the necessary capital to innovate and thrive.
Just recently, during the 2025 State of the Nation address on February 27, 2025, the president highlighted plans for “The Black Star Experience,” a flagship initiative aimed at positioning Ghana at the forefront of tourism in Africa and the diaspora.
However, nothing related to this was included in the budget.
This is a big difference compared to previous years when funds were allocated.
In the 2023 fiscal year, Ghana’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture was allocated GH¢115,694,000 while an amount of GH¢260,948,961 was given to the ministry for the 2024 fiscal year.
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