The President of the Arts and Tourism Writers Association, George Quaye, has expressed his concerns regarding the difficulties confronting Ghana’s arts and tourism sector, attributing its stagnation to a lack of strategic foresight among those tasked with its management.
During an interview on Tuesday, December 24, Quaye advocated for a more intentional and progressive strategy to rejuvenate the sector.
He also criticized political parties for neglecting arts and tourism in their manifestos, instead favoring other areas such as agriculture, education, and the economy.
Quaye identified insufficient infrastructure and ineffective communication as significant obstacles to the sector’s advancement, contending that these challenges arise from a failure to acknowledge the industry’s importance in national development.
He urged political parties to incorporate comprehensive policies for the advancement of arts and tourism in their manifestos, highlighting the necessity for investments in infrastructure, marketing, and capacity building to fully realize the sector’s potential.
His remarks coincide with increasing demands from stakeholders for a holistic strategy to leverage Ghana’s abundant cultural and natural resources, aiming to transform the sector into a fundamental component of the nation’s economy.
“When traveling to Cape Coast or even Takoradi, one does not encounter any billboards indicating the distance to Cape Coast Castle, which is similarly true for nearly all of our tourist attractions. This reflects a lack of vision; someone must conceptualize, envision, and execute these ideas, and many of us have voiced this concern.”
In Ghana, it appears that if you are not involved in decision-making, your voice remains unheard. A review of the political parties’ manifestos suggests that insufficient attention has been given to the arts and creative industries in comparison to other sectors. This observation underscores the importance of visionary leadership; if such leaders were present, political parties would not merely promise the establishment of television stations and online platforms when there are more accessible opportunities available.
