Benjamin Oduro Arhin Jnr, aka Bnoskka
A section of the creative arts industry stakeholders have registered their dissatisfaction towards governments for failing to keep their commitments to the sector.
In an interview on Asempa FM last Saturday, Benjamin Oduro Arhin Jr., often known as Bnoskka, creative arts, business and intellectual property consultant, expressed his dismay at political parties’ disdain for the creative industry despite its enormous economic potential.
According to him, the government’s track record in the creative arts sector was not impressive, noting that governments have been neglecting or undermining the industry for a long time.
He said it was about time for a study to be done in Ghana to evaluate the promises made by politicians.
He claims that the research is essential because there have been far too many promises made in the hopes of improving Ghana’s creative arts sector, and it is clear that an impact analysis is required at this particular time of the year, when a presidential election is scheduled for December 7, 2024, so that an evidence-based analysis can be presented to determine how many of the promises made in the past have been fulfilled; from Ghana’s first republic to its current multiparty democracy state.
He emphasised that the research, once completed, will be able to fairly evaluate the accomplishments from political promises made when the politician came to power, as well as the government institutions’ contributions to the creative arts industry to support stakeholders’ efforts to generate income, jobs, and growth for Ghana’s creative economy.
He mentioned that after reviewing the manifestos of the various parties, he came to the conclusion that each one is attempting to attract the attention of the major actors in the creative business by putting out a message.
Bnoskka lectures in the Department of Music Education at the School of Creative Arts, University of Education, Winneba.
He is also a member of the Ghana Arts Teachers Association (GATA), International Society for Music Education (ISME), Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), and Music in Africa.