Weep no more, Abla Dzifa
With this 1% Creative Arts Levy, however, Dzifa should weep no more.
Ghana's creative sector enjoys abundant government support, a stark contrast to Nigeria's industry which has long relied on financial assistance. The Nigerian government's commitment to nurturing its art scene became evident in 2013 when former President Goodluck Jonathan allocated a 3 billion naira grant to bolster the film industry.
This generosity has continued, with Nigeria launching the Creative Economy Development Fund in 2025, offering grants, equity, and low-interest loans for various creative fields. Ghanaian creatives, on the other hand, have yet to receive such substantial aid, with the country's creative sector often grappling with insufficient funding.
This disparity was brought to light when former television news anchor Gideon Aryeequaye, now the Executive Secretary of the Creative Arts Agency, announced plans to build houses for retired creatives, a proposal that seemed wishful due to the lack of available funds. The CEO's idea drew inspiration from Lord Bob Cole, a legendary musician who, despite his illustrious career, struggled to find a place to rest in his later years.
The solution to this ongoing issue may lie in the newly proposed 1% Creative Arts Levy, a tax on the net cost of services and products purchased from creative enterprises in Ghana. With the levy, the sector could potentially generate enough funds to support its artists and develop a more robust funding scheme, ending the cycle of unfulfilled promises and enabling Ghanaian creatives to thrive without fear of a life of poverty.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
