Francis Doku highlights gender imbalance, key issues in Ghana’s creative economy

At Joy FM’s Manifesto Debate on the Creative Economy, held recently in Accra, Francis Doku, Chief Operations Officer of Plugin Digital Limited, emphasized the critical issue of gender representation in Ghana’s creative arts sector.

Delivering the keynote address, Doku highlighted the stark underrepresentation of women in higher echelons of the industry. “A crucial aspect of this discussion, in my view, is gender representation. It would be remiss of us to have this conversation without addressing how all genders are represented,” he stated. Despite notable progress made by pioneering figures such as Shirley Frimpong-Manso, Lydia Forson, Yvonne Nelson, and Yvonne Okoro, Doku pointed out that women still face significant barriers to key decision-making roles within the creative industries.

In his address, Doku also outlined essential areas for revitalizing Ghana’s creative economy. He underscored the need for increased investment, fostering innovation, and advancing infrastructural development as pivotal steps for growth. “We need to focus on robust investments and infrastructure to support the creative sector’s expansion and sustainability,” he added.

The Manifesto Debate on the Creative Economy, which marked the 5th edition of Joy FM’s Showbiz Roundtable, aimed to delve into policy ideas proposed by political parties to enhance Ghana’s tourism, arts, and culture sectors.

Representing the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were Sadiq Abdullai Abu, NDC Parliamentary Candidate for Okaikoi Central Constituency, and Rex Owusu Marfo, a member of the NDC Manifesto Committee. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) was represented by Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Mark Okraku-Mantey, and Akwasi Agyeman, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA).

Credit: www.myjoyonline.com