The government has reaffirmed its commitment to repositioning Ghana’s creative arts industry as a central pillar of national development through renewed investment, policy reforms, and targeted support for industry players.
It emphasised that the creative sector remains a powerful driver of tourism, job creation, cultural preservation, and economic growth, and will continue to receive strategic attention under the administration of President John Dramani Mahama.
This commitment was highlighted in a speech delivered by the Deputy Chief of Staff (Administration), Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, on behalf of Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, at the 50th Anniversary Soirée of the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) held on Saturday in Accra.
Addressing the gathering, Ms. Bampoe Addo noted that Ghana’s creative ecosystem, including music, comedy, dance, film, and digital content, plays a transformative role in shaping values, preserving heritage, relieving stress, and inspiring national pride.
She highlighted that music, in particular, has become a major driver of tourism and economic activity, contributing significantly to Ghana’s GDP and sustaining millions of jobs nationwide.
According to her, the arts and culture sector accounts for approximately 2.5 per cent of Ghana’s GDP, with major concerts such as ShattaFest 2025 generating tens of millions of cedis in economic activity in a single day.
She also cited Statista projections indicating that revenues from digital music streaming and recorded music are expected to reach US$4.36 million in 2025, reflecting the industry’s expanding digital footprint.
Ms. Bampoe Addo explained that since President Mahama assumed office in January 2025, the government has placed the creative arts at the centre of its transformational agenda. She highlighted the allocation of GH¢20 million as seed capital for the Creative Arts Fund in the 2026 national budget, designed to support musicians, fashion designers, visual artists, filmmakers, digital creators, and others along the creative value chain.
The fund will provide grants, soft loans, technical assistance, training, and business development support — reinforcing the view that talent alone is insufficient without strategic investment and innovation. The government is also strengthening intellectual property systems and improving copyright and royalty administration to ensure fair and timely compensation for artists.
She added that the government had partnered with TikTok to host the “Ghana Creator Education Day,” aimed at equipping Ghanaian creators with digital skills, investment opportunities, and improved monetisation. The initiative, she said, underscores Ghana’s position as a leading creative hub in Africa.
Ms. Bampoe Addo also outlined priority interventions under the National Democratic Congress’ “Resetting Ghana” manifesto, including partnerships with stakeholders in the music and dance industry, financial literacy support for creatives, revived cultural infrastructure, and collaborations with international cultural organisations.
Touching on the global creative economy, she emphasised that Ghana must embrace emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, digital distribution, and global streaming platforms, noting that these innovations offer unprecedented opportunities for Ghanaian talents to reach worldwide audiences.
“This is the time for Ghana to take its rightful place on the global creative stage. This is the time to turn talent into global trade and passion into prosperity,” she said, calling on musicians, producers, dancers, sound engineers, DJs, content creators, cultural custodians, promoters, and industry leaders to partner with the government to build a thriving creative economy.
She stressed that with unified effort, the industry could achieve historic progress.
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