By Edem Latsu Nukafu
The Creative Arts Agency Ghana yesterday unveiled a musical campaign titled: “Play Ghana” to propel Ghanaian music and arts in Ghana.
Unveiled in partnership with Music artists and stakeholder in the arts, the campaign aims at promoting a ratio of 70% Ghanaian music played on the airwaves and at other social gathering.
Additionally, it is to see to it that Ghanaian art and music take Center stage during the Yuletide in the country.
Unveiling the campaign, the Director of Creative Arts Agency Ghana, Ms Gyankroma Akufo-Addo uttered that the time had come for Ghana to review the Creative Art space in regards to local content.
She mentioned most jurisdictions, including Nigeria had implemented 70% local law when it comes to their arts, and Ghana could not be different.
Ms Akufo-Addo emphasised that “today marks the day that we are pledging to push Ghanaian music to the foreforont of our audiences, starting at home. The Creative Arts Agency will collaborate with stakeholders and players in the music, film, and broadcasting industries to review our local content regulations.”
She made an appeal for changes to both the cultural policy and the broadcasting bill, drawing inspiration from Nigeria’s 70% local content law for music, film, and broadcasting.
The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon. Mark Okraku-matey , on his side underscored the essence of collaboration among acts and music producers and warned that without such unity, Ghana risked succumbing to the constant influx of foreign music.
Smallgod Nana Appiasei, a music mogul, uttered worry about the decline of Ghanaian music and suggested taking deliberate steps to elevate local content to regional standards.
He asserted that if taken seriously, the campaign would not only reinforce the festive environment with local sounds and rhythms, but also open the door to a more resilient and sustainable future for Ghanaian music on the global stage.
Some notable artists such as Reggie Rockstone, Samini, Black Sherif, and D-Black, as well as a lot of other talents, were present at the launch.
Writer’s email: edemlatsu093@gmail.com