The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta has disclosed that as of the end of June 2021, a total amount of GH¢52,293,093.00 has been disbursed to 29,698 beneficiaries within the Creative Arts Industry.
Presenting the mid-year budget review, Mr. Ofori Atta mentioned that the money was given as a form of support to the creative industry sector to enable them continue to offer their services.
Based on this, it is worth mentioning that the 29,698 beneficiaries in the creative industry received an average of 1,760.83 Ghana cedis from the government as a form of support.
“Support was also given to specific sectors such as the Creative Arts, Media, and the Private Education to enable them continue to offer key services in the peak of the pandemic. As at end of June 2021, a total of GH¢52,293,093.00 has been disbursed to 29,698 beneficiaries within the creative arts industry”.
Ken Ofori Atta
That notwithstanding, the finance minister also revealed that the tourism sector is experiencing a gradual rebound from the pandemic. According to him, the upsurge in the number of tourists recorded is as a result of the re-opening of the Kotoka International airport.
“Proactive and pragmatic policies have ensured that the tourism and hospitality industry which had perhaps endured its most difficult year in 2020 is on a rebound. Tourist arrivals into the country as at the end of 2020 was about 370,000, as against a revised target of 400,000 for 2020. With the re-opening of the Kotoka International Airport in September 2020, arrivals at the end of the second quarter of 2021 were 231,000, representing 65 percent of the full-year arrivals in 2020”.
Ken Ofori Atta
Mr. Ofori also touched on the government’s intention to transform and promote some selected tourist sites. He emphasized that government is “aggressively promoting international and domestic tourism” through Ghana CARES by supporting the “modernization and development of these tourist sites”.
He noted that the government will be “upgrading the skill of sector operators, working to reduce the cost of doing business and improving the competitiveness of enterprises in the sector, as well as transforming targeted tourist beaches to increase patronage i.e. Sakumono, Axim, Elmina”.
It can be recalled that in November 2020, the Government launched the audacious 100 billion cedis ‘Ghana COVID-19 Alleviation and Revitalization of Enterprises Support’ (Ghana CARES) ‘Obaatanpa’ Programme. It was done to alleviate the immediate impact of COVID-19 on the economy of the country.
The Finance Minister further speaking disclosed that the pandemic threatened government’s efforts to tackle discrimination and inequality against women. According to him, the sectors hard-hit by the crisis, like tourism, hospitality, and small-scale retailing, employ a large number of women.
On ensuring inclusivity of women and tackling inequality in the country, Mr. Ofori noted that, Ghana was one of the few countries in the world that devised a plan to ensure that the impact of the pandemic on MSMEs will be minimized.
“Through the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), formerly National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), a number of programs were implemented to minimize the impact of the pandemic and also to support in the realization of the Government’s vision of diversity, inclusivity and job creation”.
Read also: WE WILL BUILD A 20MILLION DOLLAR NATIONAL STUDIO TO PROMOTE OUR ARTS AND CULTURE – AWAL MOHAMMED
