Ghana will spend a total of $4.5 million on the organization of  the 5th editions of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA).
Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Catherine Afeku has revealed that the said amount covers the next three editions of the program, according to myjoyonline report.

She had touted the event as a tourism booster, saying "showcase the Pan-African credentials of our nation through music, culture and at the end of it all, the world"

She had earlier describe a question about how much Ghana will spend on hosting the events  as “lame”.

But she finally disclosed the figure on Friday, urging Ghanaians to focus on the "benefits."

“It is a three year program and the budget is 4.5 million dollars” she said.

“We tend to overemphasize on the cost of doing music, arts and culture rather than the benefits…You have to invest in it to get the returns,” she stressed.

The country is currently hosting the 2018 event in Accra and will continue to host the 2019 and 2020 editions as well.

This year’s AFRIMA scheduled for November 21 to November 24 comes with an array of activities across the country.

Earlier, sources close to the organizers disclosed to Myjoyonline.com that the event may have to be cancelled due to government’s failure to fulfill its contractual obligations.

Catherine Afeku, however, stressed in a media briefing on Monday that monies had been released to the Planning Committee for the event, thus, Ghana was ready to host the rest of Africa.

Currently, Africa’s biggest music awards scheme, AFRIMA, organised by the AFRIMA Secretariat in Nigeria with the collaboration of the African Union (AU), has been hosted by Nigeria for the past four years.
Some Ghanaian artistes nominated in various categories at the 2018 AFRIMA are Joe Mettle, Sarkodie, Kidi, King Promise, Kuami Eugene, Efya, Ebony, Becca and Stonebwoy.

Congolese rapper Maître Gims and South Africa’s fast rising songstress Shekhinah, had seven nominations each to emerge highest nominated artistes in this year’s awards.

Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz and Ethiopia’s Betty G follow with six nominations; while Simi (Nigeria) and Nasty C (South Africa) got five nominations each.

Source: ghanaguardian.com