Vida Adutwumwaa Boateng
Renowned entertainment pundit and Head of Public Relations for Burniton Music Group, Vida Adutwumwaa Boateng, has expressed her dissatisfaction with how the Black Star Experience, a flagship creative art initiative under the John Mahama administration, has been handled.
Speaking during her punditry session on UTV’s United Showbiz programme, Vida Boateng mentioned that President John Mahama’s comments on the initiative during his media interaction last Wednesday is unacceptable.
President Mahama, during his media engagement with some selected journalists on the state of the country’s affairs, said the foundational work of the Black Star Experience initiative is underway and that signs of progress will manifest in due time.
“The Black Star Experience will take off. They have been working on the foundational issues, and you will soon see signs of it,” he said.
According to Ms. Boateng, the response from government is worrying, adding that, “I don’t blame the President for his comments because if those individuals appointed to handle the initiative have been speaking about the project like how other sectors have been speaking about their project to the President, I am not sure we would have been excluded for a whole fiscal year.”
Ms. Boateng referred to the initial launch of the Blackstar Experience, where she raised issues about no roadmap for implementing the initiative.
“I sat here and said that there is a total disconnect from what the leaders of the Black Star Experience and that of the sector Minister of Tourism have been saying about the initiative.
“During the Minister’s vetting, she explained that the initiative will be celebrated at the assembly level, and I objected to it, saying it is a national agenda that will be a year-long festival away from the December festivities. As I sit here, I’m worried to hear from the President saying that his government is still working on the foundational level; meanwhile, we are in the ninth month,” she lamented.
Ms. Boateng mentioned that festivals like ‘Chale Wote’ should be supported by the government to witness a grand celebration, saying, “there was no support from any government, patrons witnessed the usual celebration held annually, nothing extra. We are demanding from the leaders, if not for anything, to give us a roadmap and let us know what’s ahead of us because we can’t end the year without any roadmap.”
The Blackstar Experience, launched under President John Mahama’s administration, aims to position Ghana as Africa’s cultural capital and boost tourism. The initiative encompasses various events and programmes, including Ghana Music Week, Creative Connect, Detty December festivities, and plans for a world-class Ananse Studio and film complex.
Its objectives include rebranding Ghana, attracting investment, and generating employment opportunities.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke