Ghanaian entertainment critic and event organizer, Kwaku Osei Koranteng Asiedu, also known as KOKA, has called for more transparency and accountability from the Tourism ministry as its new minister, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, assumes office.

He made this call in an interview with GhanaWeb Entertainment where he outlined several activities the incoming minister should do within the next 10 months to revamp the creative arts sector.

According to KOKA, the entertainment and tourism industry contributes significantly to the GDP of the country but does not receive the recognition and support it deserves.

He called on the ministry to produce quarterly financial statements of the creative arts and culture sector, detailing the revenues and expenditures of each tourist site, activity, and festival, as well as the contribution of the industry to the GDP.

He said this would help the industry make a case for more support and recognition from the government and the public.

“We need a quarterly financial statement of the creative arts industry. Especially in the tourism sector. We need details of each tourist site, each tourist activity, each festival that was held, the amount of money put inside and the revenues made.

"Like the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum; how much did we make? How much have we made so far since it was opened and how much has been invested in it?

"And all the other tourist sites across the country, the forts and castles and everything. We need to know how much has been invested in renovation and how much we are making monthly. The same goes for events,” he said.

KOKA also expressed his concern about the lack of transparency and accountability on the Year of Return initiative, which he said has not been properly accounted for since its inception in 2019.

He urged the minister to provide clarity and information on how much was invested and generated from the initiative, which was aimed at attracting people of African descent to visit and invest in Ghana.

He said these are the things that the industry needs and deserves, and not what the government wants for them.

He appealed to the government and the public to support and appreciate persons in the creative space, who he said are the ambassadors and custodians of the Ghanaian culture and identity.

KOKA is the founder and CEO of KOKA Entertainment, a company that provides event management, consultancy, and media services.

He is also a vocal and outspoken critic, who often shares his views and opinions on various issues affecting the entertainment industry.

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