Maintaining the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture and its sector minister is like maintaining a corpse and applying fragrant perfumes, nice costumes, jewels, make-ups and all forms of additives on it; it is of no use.
The good book of Matthew admonishes that a tree which does not bear good fruits must be cut off. Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture is that tree which does not bear fruit and must be cut off. In fact the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture is occupying space for nothing! It is existing in name but in actuality, it is dead. The government of Ghana?s budget for that ministry all these years is a waste of public funds. What are my reasons??..?
First, I am writing about a ministry which represents the arts and entertainment industry but for the past 10 years has done nada to project Ghana?s art and entertainment industry to the global eye. Movies, music, comedy, theatrical art, fashion, modeling, poetry, painting, publishing, etc; which of them has the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture promoted unto the international market? When for instance, the Ministry of Arts and Culture of South Africa has been able to sign international art treaties and memorandum of understandings on behalf of the South African government with other countries such as Canada, Germany, Italy, Indian and UK.
Secondly, I am writing about a Ministry in which the sector minister does not attend art and entertainment events. To my colleagues in the arts, how often do we see the sector minister of Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture at art and entertainment events ? Ghana movie awards, RTP awards, Ghana music awards, 4 Syte music video, Legends and Legacy balls, and the likes? Mr. Minister, how can you head a ministry which represents a particular industry and yet when activities or events are organized concerning that ministry, you don?t avail yourself?
Thirdly, the sector minister does not advocate for or against anything that will either help or stymie our art and entertainment industry. He is totally estranged from the art and entertainment industry. How can such a person build network with people in the arts, share and welcome ideas, get to know the arts? challenges, opportunities, and its potentials?
Fourthly, I am writing about a ministry which thinks the arts is all about our cultural dances (?adowa? and others), chiefs at durbars with big umbrellas on their heads with one person holding their left arms and another person holding the right arms as the chief walks (is that not human right abuse?), museums, slave trade, and other ho-hum arts. Already, social studies, a subject which used to teach us our culture, traditions and heritage have been diluted, so the aforementioned aspects of our arts is not interesting to the youth of today! The youth of today are interested in the entertainment aspect of arts. What is entertaining about a museum or slave trade that could imbibe into them racism and rancor?
Fifthly, I am writing about a ministry which has not promoted our culture in anyway in schools and in our everyday life. Today, the youth delights in Brazilian hairs. They prefer foreign songs to our indigenous songs. They prefer to eat pizza than eat ?mp?t? mp?t?? or ?kokonte.? The youth of today speaks our indigenous dialects wrongly but do not feel ashamed about it. Culture is about all the above I?ve enumerated. How has the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture maintained, projected or improved upon the Ghanaian culture? What proposal has the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture sent to the ministry of education to make the teaching and learning of chieftaincy issues and culture basal in our elementary schools? Occupying space and wasting land!
Lastly, I am writing about a ministry which if you take concepts concerning movies, music, fashion, modeling, etc, to them, the sector Minister or the Chief Director will just stare your face and if you?re smart, all you can see written on her face is; ?what is this guy talking about?? Or ?is this guy serious at all?? I have personally approached that ministry with ideas on theatrical performances on three occasions so I know what I am talking about. The people there don?t understand the language and attitude of arts. I don?t endorse the government maintaining it and establishing another ministry for the arts because that will only amount to counter-productivity.
RECOMMENDATION
The government of Ghana should dissolve the current Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture and establish MINISTRY OF ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT, appoint a competent and qualified sector minister from amongst people in the arts to man the ministry. Industry gems like KSM, David Dontoh, Bola Ray, George Quaye, Fiifi Banson, Kwame Sefa Kayi, J.O. T Agyemang, Ivan Quarshigah, Kofi Asante, and a host of others are Olympian art hotshots who understand the ?modern-language and attitude? of arts and entertainment. My admonishment is; the government of Ghana should dissolve the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture and establish MINISTRY OF ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT. Until then??MOTWUM!!
Source: Osarfo Anthony
