Broadcaster and President of the Foundation of Concerned Arts Professionals (FOCAP), Kojo Preko Dankwa, has expressed his displeasure at the lack of an office accommodation for the Creative Arts Agency. 

Speaking to Kwame Dadzie on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z on Joy FM, Kojo said the agency has never had an office facility since it was legally constituted in 2020. 

According to him, the place located at the Bureau of Ghana Languages which was known to be the office for the agency, was privately rented by Gyankroma Akufo-Addo, a daughter of former President Nana Akufo-Addo, who held the position as the Executive Secretary for four years.

The FOCAP President spoke about reports that Gyankroma vacated the office premises, took all the things away after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) lost power in the December 7, 2024 election.

"My checks indicate that we did not have an office at the place. The agency has never had an office from day one, and we need to make it clear that there was no office, no office has existed for us. Indeed, if we had an office, why will after December 7 election, chairs, computers and everything be taken away by Gyankroma, with the belief that she bought them herself, so she's taking them away? So where is the office we are talking about?" he asked.

Kojo added that he had asked former Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Andrew Egyapa Mercer and former Chief Director of the Ministry, John Agbeko, why they had allowed Gyankroma to occupy the office in the name of the government, but he did not get any response from them.

At the moment, there is no office accommodation for the Creative Arts Agency, yet the Ministry recruited thirteen (13) people on December 18, 2024, to start working in various positions as staff of the agency, effective December 23, 2024.

Due to the lack of an office space, the newly recruited workers have been asked to go home and return after the ministry gets a new place for them.

Kojo also remonstrated how the entire arts industry watched on while Gyankroma Akufo-Akufo Addo “illegally” occupied a government office with impunity. 

Kojo who has over the years disapproved of Gyankroma’s position as Executive Director of the Creative Arts Agency said that the former President’s daughter was not appointed to that position because there was no announcement to that effect. 

In the meantime, Divine Owusu Ansah, the Acting Director for Arts and Culture at the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has assured creative industry stakeholders that the Ministry is working at getting an office accommodation for the agency.