CEO of Image Bureau, George Quaye, has thrown a challenge to President Nana Akufo-Addo and the entire leadership of the country to save the creative arts sector before his tenure is over.

Speaking in an interview with Andy Dosty on Daybreak Hitz, George Quaye spoke bitterly about the current state of the industry, stating that things aren't looking good for event centres.

According to him, he is disappointed in how things have turned out following the numerous promises that were given to the Creative Arts Sector during electioneering campaign.

“I am disappointed because there is a lot that we expected from the president of the republic because the promises were a lot. We will be telling ourselves lies if we sit here and say we are satisfied because of our allegiance.

“However, all is not lost, there is a year and a half left. I am hoping and challenging the leadership of this country to save whatever is left of the creative arts sector…” he said

According to the event organiser, holding events in this country has become very difficult because some of the major centres have either been shut down or are in bad shape.

He cited the National Theatre as an example.

“The National Theatre is a sad story. I look at it and I weep because we know what it looked like when it was built. People used to come from other places for excursions and today this is what is left of it. The theatre does not have a standby generator.

If you have a show and the lights go off, the show is over.”

George however, used the platform to plead with the government to fix the National Theatre before undertaking any other projects.

“I am using this platform to plead, I am on my knees; before we start the amphitheaters and any other things, let’s fix the National Theatre.

“If the state house banquet hall will not be there and if the Accra International Conference Center will not see any facelift let us fix the National Theatre.”

Meanwhile, about six months after the announcement of the construction of five amphitheaters in Ghana, a sod-cutting ceremony has been held for the first project.

The exercise was undertaken by the Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku-Mantey in Kumasi on Wednesday, April 26, 2023.

In his address before cutting the sod, Mark said: “Good to see you all here. This is the day the Most High has made. Finally, we are on the soil or on the grounds to start the project.  So it will be prudent that we do the official thing that we do. We are here to do the first digging so that we can put on record that the project has started.”