‘Creative Industry rejected proposed recording studios’
In a surprising revelation, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mark Okraku Mantey has disclosed that the government’s plan to establish state-of-the-art recording studios for the creative arts industry, a promise that was featured in the 2020 manifesto of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) , was ultimately rejected by the majority of industry stakeholders.
Mark Okraku Mantey, a veteran music producer and a pivotal advocate for the studio initiative, voiced his discomfort with the situation during an interview on TV3.
“It’s not a comfortable situation for me, especially since I was the one who championed the studio agenda,” he admitted.
The minister explained that although the idea of government-funded recording studios initially garnered enthusiasm, it later faced opposition from within the industry itself. “The industry stakeholders didn’t want the studios. They preferred that we share the money among them because they already had studios that were doing well. You can quote me on this anytime,” he emphasized.
Okraku Mantey pointed out that the rejection of the studios wasn’t solely due to financial considerations; it also stemmed from a deep-seated skepticism within the industry.
He recalled that even back during his days at Hitz FM, there were still divided opinions on the matter.
“If you go back to my days at Hitz FM, the industry actually fought against the idea. Some were for it, and some were against it. Those who were against it were more vocal, and their arguments carried more weight.”
These notwithstanding, the minister said he remains open to revisiting the idea if there is a shift in sentiment within the industry.
“The bottom line is that if the industry shows interest and changes its stance, and they want us to build the studios, why not?” he stated. The government’s original plan involved establishing a $20 million ultramodern national film, music, and creative arts studio, aimed at building the capacity of Ghanaians to produce a series of movies and music with quality local content. The project was expected to position Ghana as the hub of film and music production in the West African subregion, while promoting the country’s rich cultural heritage.
