![Mark Okraku "Kumasi theatre will be completed by end of next year"– Mark Okraku Mantey Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts & Culture, Mark Okraku Mantey has hinted that the Kumasi theatre promised by the government will reach its full completion by the end of 2022. Mark Okraku Mantey, during an interview said the Government's job for the creative industry is to create an enabling environment especially for people who have interest in creative arts. Therefore, the need to build a theatre that is going to house close to 2000 people. "We [creative industry players] asked for it four years ago and the President has taken steps that we must start. By next year, pictures of Kumasi's theatre will be out. By end of next year, the theatre will be complete". In 2019, during the President's third State of the Nation Address on February 21, he announced that work on the construction of the performance theatre was underway in Kumasi. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his address disclosed that the Eastern Region Theatre was completed, and work was ongoing towards the construction of the Kumasi theatre. Last year, there were reports that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture on behalf of the government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Bengbu International Technology & Economic Cooperation Ltd for construction of a two thousand capacity theatre/conference Centre to be built in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital. In 2016, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) promised to build a large theatre in each region should they win power. In its manifesto, the NPP said, " We will pursue the construction of modern large seating theatres in every regional capital except Accra, beginning with Takoradi, Tamale, and Kumasi, as well as setting up an additional copyright office in Tamale to cater for the northern sector in addition to the existing ones in Accra and Kumasi". In 2019, Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia reiterated the New Patriotic Party (NPP)'s campaign promise to build large seating event theatres in all regions of the country. Meanwhile, several industry players and observers have time and again complained about how the industry is neglected and not taken seriously. However, contrary to this ideology, Mark Okraku-Mantey noted that the arts and tourism industry is a big deal for the President. He revealed that President Akufo-Addo views the ministry as more of a "business tool than a governance tool". "President Akufo-Addo sees this industry as a big deal. When he called me to become the deputy, what he said was that he does not need research to know that the industry is a good industry. The pictures are all over the world. In many developed countries, tourism is a big deal. And for the creative aspect, he knows how creative individuals In the West are rich. So, he doesn't need any research to let him know that investing in this industry will bring profit". Mark further posited that because of the business mindset the President has about the industry, he decided to choose two business-minded persons to spearhead the ministry. Thus, the Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture, Hon. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal and himself](https://thevaultznews.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/markss.jpg "We 'Blacklisted' Shatta Wale and Pushed Stonebwoy– Mark Okraku Reveals 1")
The Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, who was the Program’s Manager of a popular Accra-based radio station, Mark Okraku Mantey, has revealed that he blacklisted Shatta Wale from the radio station he worked at and decided to push Stonebwoy.
Explaining the reason behind this agenda, the veteran music producer, disclosed that some time ago, he sent out an invitation to interview Shatta Wale. However, according to Mark, Shatta Wale turned down the invite in a very rude manner. Owing to this, the radio station decided to blacklist Shatta Wale. The station also decided to show full support to Stonebwoy and put him at the top.
“Shatta Wale was rude. We invited him for an interview and he turned it down so we decided to blacklist him. We decided to support Stonebwoy and make him a hero because he was not rude. So, we decided to play a lot of Stonebwoy’s songs”.
Mark Okraku
Many have never understood the root of the rift that exist between the Deputy Minister and the dancehall artist. The two have been going at each others throats concerning several issues for sometime now, and many have wondered why they don’t see eye to eye. Before Mark Okraku was made Deputy Minister of Tourism, Shatta Wale suggested that Mark was not fit for the job and that he should not be considered. Even though the two have claimed that they don’t hate each other, this revelation from Mr. Mantey seems to explain a lot.
Mark Okraku Calls on Government to Tax Online Users
Away from musicians and blacklisting, Mark Okraku Mantey, called on the government to focus on taxing online activities now that the E-levy bill has been successfully passed.
Mark Okraku Mantey submitted this petition in an interview where he suggested that the online businesses should contribute their quota through taxes to help Ghana’s development. According to him, “SMEs cannot thrive because of huge financial obligations. However, if the tax scope is spread to cover online businesses, the revenue would still trickle in but not from a few overburdened ones”.
“Again, the small business enterprise comes up in a few years, and they collapse because they are overloaded with some taxes. So, why don’t we expand the scope to help reduce corporate Ghana of taxes? We can distribute it such that you don’t overload the few who have agreed to pay for it”.
Mark Okraku Mantey
Mr. Mantey pointed out how lucrative online/cyber businesses have become lucrative with the evolution of the digital space.
“My creative people are selling on YouTube, iTunes, bolt foods, uber. People are now buying clothes online. Are they paying anything to the government?” Mark questioned, and answered “No”.
Mark disclosed that he supports the E-levy because it allows skilled workers in the informal sector to pay direct tax on their income. Mark Okraku lamented how some people are quick to complain about poor infrastructure, and poor road networks among others, but have not been contributing their quota to national development.
“So, I ask myself, how do we fix these things that you complain about ?” Mark questioned.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has announced May 1, 2022, as the implementation date for the E-Levy. In a notice published, the GRA noted that the decision was influenced by the passage of the E-Levy Bill by Parliament.
President Akufo-Addo on Thursday, March 31, 2022, signed the E-levy Bill into law. As a result, the Bill, which was passed by Parliament on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 has become a binding law that will be operationalized as a revenue measure across the country. The tax, which is still a subject of debate among Ghanaians is expected to rake in ¢6.9 billion in tax revenue for the country.
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