Executive Secretary of the Creative Arts Agency, Gideon Aryeequaye, has revealed that he thought he would be reappointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), a role he briefly held in 2016.

Speaking on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z with Kwame Dadzie, he recalled serving as CEO of the GTA under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government in 2016, where he had several plans lined up for the sector. He, however, had to hand over the post when the party left power in 2017.

When asked if the Creative Arts Agency boss expected a different appointment following the NDC’s return to power in 2025, he replied in the affirmative.

“I was expecting to retain my positions at the Ghana Tourism Authority because I had just started barely four months before we lost the election in 2016. But the President said ‘thank you. You have to step aside for someone else',” he said.

Aryeequaye described his time at the GTA as a very beautiful experience.

“I had projections for the sector. Serious projections for the sector, and they will tell you these projections are out of the noon. Because these are what I had encountered in our various exhibitions across the world. These were certain suggestions that I got from my counterparts elsewhere,” he explained.

He added that he thought he could return home and implement those ideas for the Ghana Tourism Authority but was unable to do so when his party left power.

On 28th February 2025, Gideon Aryeequaye was appointed Acting Executive Secretary of the Creative Arts Agency.

He has therefore outlined a number of things the agency’s has planned to do for the creative sector. Principal among them are: the creation of an awards scheme for the creative arts industry, a creative arts festival, fashion show, arts quiz at the senior high school level and a highlife concert.

The Creative Arts Agency is mandated by Act 1048 to coordinate, regulate and promote activities within Ghana’s creative sector, and to implement policies and initiatives that drive its growth.

Watch interview below: