Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta is currently presenting the 2019 budget and financial statement of government to parliament. The presentation details the progress of Ghana’s economy over the past year, as well as projections for the coming year.
The minister touched on the state of the proposed Creative Arts Industry Bill, indicating that it is currently before parliament for consideration into law. He also pointed out that steps have been taken to pass a Legislative Instrument to establish a secretariat catering to film in order to fully harness economic opportunities that the industry presents:
“Mr. Speaker, the Creative Arts Industry Bill is now in Parliament for deliberation and passage into Law. The Creative Arts Fund is incorporated in the Bill to ensure the economic viability of the Creative Arts Sector in the economy. In addition, Government in 2019, will pursue the passing of a Legislative Instrument to establish a Secretariat for the National Film Authority” and will also facilitate the construction of an ultra-modern Film Production Studio to attract the international film community,” he stated.
Touching on the country’s history of slavery and the role of the diaspora towards national development, he submitted to the house that President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during a recent trip to the US, proclaimed 2019 as the “Year of Return,” a move targeted at attracting Ghanaians all over the world, especially the US, UK, and the Caribbean, to take a serious interest in investing in the country, to consolidate his overarching vision of a Ghana beyond aid:
“To commemorate the 400 years of slavery, a delegation led by His Excellency, the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo went to the USA to declare 2019 as the YEAR OF RETURN in September this year. The Ghana Tourism Authority is leading this campaign that will see a great number of African Diaspora from the United States of America, the Caribbean and the United Kingdom return to Ghana on a pilgrimage to promote heritage tourism in 2019.”