The Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Barbara Oteng Gyasi says the government will before the end of this year launch the Creative Arts and Industry Insurance scheme for players registered to the industry.

Speaking at the ‘Meet the Press’ series in Accra, she indicated that the initiative is to provide support for the industry players confronted with difficult situations in case of a crisis or incapacity.

“The beneficiaries of the Scheme shall be members of the Creative Industry who are registered with the Ministry and its Agencies,” she said.

According to her, despite the enormous contribution of the Creative Industry to the Ghanaian economy its players seem not to be well catered for as reflected by the sad state of aged Ghanaian artists who very often have to make public appeals for financial and material support when confronted with difficult situations in their old age.

“Currently, most Creative Arts practitioners are not covered by any risk mitigation measures during critical times such as injury, ill-health or old age or during the loss of production equipment,” she said.

She stressed that the move was necessitated due to the fact that artists are not salaried workers but rather ply their trade mostly on a contract and seasonal basis.

Below are some benefits of the Creative Arts Industry Insurance Scheme.

• To provide an insurance scheme appropriately tailored to the needs of creative artists and performers in the Creative Arts industry.
• To provide Life Insurance or similar investment products for the Creative Arts Sector Players
• To safeguard the health, income and pensions of Creative Arts sector players
• To provide bespoke Creative Arts Industry insurance products and cover for personal injury, damage and theft of equipment etc.
  to further integrate workers and players in the Creative Arts sector into the general economy and into the pensions and life cover or benefits schemes.