IN 2013, when Creative Arts was added to the Ministry of Tourism and culture by the NDC administration, it was welcome news for players in the sector because they felt it would finally bring attention to the industry after years of neglect.

The complaint was that there was too much priority given to Tourism which was negatively impacting the other sectors.

However, in the last six years under the NDC and the NPP, it appears the creative arts is still struggling to get the support it craves and worried industry players are speaking about it.

One of such stakeholders is Chairman of the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO), Rex Omar, who is calling for a separate ministry for the creative arts industry.

In  a telephone chat with Showbiz recently, the Aware Pa singer said it was time to demand a ministry for the creative arts since its merging with tourism has been a disadvantage to the sector.

“The truth is that, the Ministry gives a lot of attention to tourism at the expense of the creative arts and that is obviously not the best because both sectors are demanding.

"The tourism industry is a whole entity on its own and the same can be said of the Creative arts as well.

"For instance, the creative arts involves not just music but movies, photography, painting, fine arts, poetry and spoken word, fashion and many others and these sectors need investment and government support.

“This is the case that the creative industry has been merged with tourism and not getting the right government support and investment because it is clearly not a priority,” Rex Omar stated.

He was of the opinion that the separation would encourage the demand of accountability from the respective heads of the ministries.

“The current projects by the sector Minister, Catherine Afeku, shows that she has more interest in tourism than the creative arts so perhaps, members from the other side are happy but same cannot be said for the creative arts," he said.

Showbiz