Creative Arts Council of Ghana on Wednesday deliberated on a wide range of issues with industry players within the sector. 

At the event held at the Accra Tourism Information Center, President of the Council, Mark Okraku Mantey, outlined some activities and plans for 2019. 

He mentioned that the Council had been tasked by the government to collect data on possibly all players in various fields within the sector. 

According to him, creative persons will be registered to enable the Council to easily identify and provide support for their endeavours.

The Council in collaboration with the Spanish embassy in Ghana will select two music bands, after a competition involving 12 bands, to travel to Spain and be paid to perform at major festivals to be telecast live on television. 

There is also an invitation from the German Embassy for the Fine Arts section in Ghana to partake in a Business Summit in Berlin in September as well as other summits involving other parts of the sector.

Mark Okraku Mantey also indicated that there have been similar invitations from China. 

An EXIM Bank ‘soft’ loan offer for the players in the sector with an interest rate of 5% is also on the table of the Creative Arts Council. 

The President of the Council revealed that his outfit is expecting GHȼ1.3 million after receiving 40% of GHȼ2.4 million budget for 2018. 

He clarified that the 40% was not totally cash but consisted of goods and services, allowances as well as Capital and Expenditure (CAPEX).

Mark Okraku Mantey lamented that it took his Council about six months before an account was created for them at the Bank of Ghana. 

He added that the secretary of the Council, Frankie 5, had to frequent the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture on countless occasions before the central bank registered an account for the organization.

Plans to conduct research regarding existing projects such as the construction of an ultra-modern music studio were also outlined. 

On the tax obligations of creative arts persons, the president encouraged industry players to honour their civic responsibility and try to dialogue with the Ghana Revenue Authority when there are any doubts. 

The need to promote ‘made in Ghana’ products beyond the shores of the country was also stressed by the President.

Industry players had the chance to ask questions which were answered by the Council’s President and his team. 

The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Catherine Afeku, joined the meeting later and also pledged her support for the Creative Arts Council. 

Attendees wined and dined after the questions and answers section.