DC Kwame Kwakye Blog of Thursday, 30 January 2025
Source: KWAME KWAKYE
A governance and development expert, Dr. Richmond Yeboah, and lecturer at the Department of Tourism Management, Cape Coast Technical University (CCTU), has debunked the notion that Ghana has prioritised tourism development at the expense of the creative arts industry over the years.
He clarified that over the years, previous governments, as well as the current government, have all appointed ministers with a creative arts background, which defuses that belief.
In a telephone interview with DC Kwame Kwakye on GBC Radio Central Morning Show on Thursday, 30th January, 2024, he explained that the previous government appointed Okraku Mante from the creative arts industry.
"So, if anyone makes allusions that the government has abandoned the creative arts, I would disagree with them", stressed Dr. Yeaboah
Regarding tourism and creative arts priority, "unfortunately, we have not set our priorities right, affecting what we need to do, and also we do not know what we want to achieve. It appears we are still on the old path", shared Governance and Development Expert.
Explaining what he meant, Dr. Yeaboah revealed that, judging from the previous government policies, "it was more of tourism marketing than product development. So we're doing Year of Return and Beyond the Return with associated promotions", he stated. Adding "largely it's not true that the government has been targeting tourism, leaving behind the creative arts". Conversely, he averred that our lack of vision has affected our expected outcomes, making it appear that we relegated the arts to the background.
But he was quick to add that when it comes to finding new products to develop and augment the over-relied-upon old ones, there has been a lack of effort. For example, he opined that in Cape Coast, apart from the Castle, the country has not developed any new products to diversify tourism products in the city. "These are the things we ought to have focused on, apart from the promotional aspects, which we have not done", stressed Dr. Yeboah.
In suggesting what can be done regarding the creative arts, the lecturer suggested that Ghana can learn from New Orleans, a city with less than 500,000 inhabitants that attracts about 20 million visitors yearly. "This is a testament that the tourism and creative arts industry are doing something right," he stated. "Event creation that targets fun seekers who troop to New Orleans can be replicated in Ghana."
He took the opportunity to challenge the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Arts to develop more products and events as a matter of urgency to attract more visitors. "We already have Charlewotey, which is huge in Ghana, and December in Ghana. What else can we create, looking at other areas to boost our development as a country?" he questioned the ministry.
In sum, Dr. Yeaboah reminded duty bearers not to be oblivious of the fact that the ministry's efforts have economic, social, and environmental dimensions which the country stands to benefit from if properly done. "This would contribute largely to our quest to achieve our sustainable development Goals," he ended.