Whitney Boakye-Mensah
Showbiz pundit and event organiser, Whitney Boakye-Mensah, has expressed her disappointment with the 2024 NDC Manifesto, criticising it for neglecting the creative arts sector.
During her appearance on the August 24, 2024 edition of United Showbiz, Whitney highlighted the significant contributions of the “Year of Return” and “Beyond the Return” initiatives to Ghana’s tourism and economy.
She voiced her surprise that the manifesto did not mention or propose any continuation of these successful initiatives, despite their importance to the creative arts community.
“I am surprised that in a manifesto such as this, there isn’t any continuation or any mention of it. Because those initiatives are where a lot of art players come in,” she said.
She further criticised policymakers for their narrow focus on performances and actors, often overlooking the broader creative arts industry.
“I don’t know which conversations go on in the corridors of power because it is limited to just a few groups of people. So when they are drawing the policy, it is not even opened up for other players to see what is in there,” she remarked.
The pundit called for a more inclusive approach to policy-making, emphasising the need for tax incentives and support for creatives, particularly those importing event items.
She urged the creative community to move beyond political banter and focus on practical discussions that could lead to tangible improvements in the sector.
“Can we, as creators, stop this back-and-forth and ask ourselves what can we bring into our industry that can benefit us?
“Because when other sectors hold the government responsible, the speed at which the government does things for them doesn’t happen for us, and we need to change that,” Whitney Boakye-Mensah concluded.