Rolf Olson
The US Embassy in Ghana has called on government to put in place the right policies and infrastructures to help the country fully capture the value of its creative industry.
Speaking at the Creative Economy Summit at the Google AI Community Center in Accra, Rolf Olson, Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy, said government holds the key to unlocking jobs, investment and global competitiveness in the sector.
“To the government officials, you hold the pen on the policies, tax structures, IP protections, production financing that determine whether Ghana captures the full value of its own cultural exports, and whether American companies feel comfortable investing in Ghana,” Rolf Olson stated, and added that “contract sanctity matters, and we need to make sure that creators are paid for their efforts.”
Rolf Olson noted that the global appetite for authentic storytelling has created a huge opportunity for Ghana.
He cited the success of international content on platforms like Netflix, including Nollywood films. “Good storytelling is resonant anywhere in the world… How many different countries you can end up watching a show from because this show is really good and it’s set in Denmark or India, or wherever,” he said, and added, “The opportunity to have exchanges on these things as this environment evolves, I think, is really valuable.”
Participants at the seminar
Mr. Olson also charged creatives to “insist that your story be told in your own voice,” and urged investors to deploy capital early to build infrastructure that would allow the next generation to work at scale. “Like any other sector, this sector creates jobs, builds competitive advantage, attracts investment, and supports entrepreneurship and innovation,” he added.
He described the summit as a “starting point” toward deeper collaboration between Ghana and the US creative sectors, and “greater economic opportunity for the people building this industry.”
He added that the Embassy remains committed to working with the government, creatives, as well as investors to build a stronger bilateral relationship through the arts.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke