The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku-Mantey, has revealed how creative entrepreneur Baba Sadiq, inspired his decision to contest for a parliamentary seat at Ayensuano.
Mark stated that Baba who is the NDC Parliamentary Candidate for the Okaikoi Central constituency once approached him in his office and sold the idea to him.
“Once upon a time, I was sitting up here [at The Multimedia Group]. I was not a minister oo. And then our own Sadiq came to ask if it was true that I came from Ayensuano. Sadiq’s father used to be the chairman of NPP at Ayensuano. Ask him, Sadiq’s father speaks Akuapem more than me.”
Mark Okraku-Mantey
He disclosed when Sadiq’s father even gave him [Mark] some guidelines regarding the election.
“So it was Sadiq who actually initiated this whole thing. That is why I changed my vote from East Legon to Ayensuano. I did that before the 2020 elections. So that was why Honourable OB Amoah asked that question [during my vetting]. he got the clue that I had changed my vote from East Legon to Ayensuano.”
Mark Okraku-Mantey
Contrary to criticism by some creative industry people that his quest for the Member of Parliament position and the time he spent on that, swayed his attention from his job as Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, he said it was rather for the good of the arts industry.
According to him, it was easier for Members of Parliament to get ministerial appointment; which means if he won the seat, that could give him an added advantage when there was any consideration for a ministerial appointment.
His comment comes on the back of suggestions that the creative industry will do better if people from the sector are made substantive ministers and not deputies.
Okraku Mantey lost the parliamentary primaries of the New Patriotic Party to businesswoman, Ida Adjoa Asiedu in 2023.
Mark Expresses Dissatisfaction With Fantasy Dome Demolition
About eight months after the Fantasy Dome was dismantled to make way for construction work at the Trade Fair site, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku-Mantey, expressed his dissatisfaction at the destruction of the facility as a result of the exercise.
According to him, he felt there could have been a better way of dismantling the dome without damaging it.
“I do not think that leadership gave instructions that they should do what happened. Because if you meant well, [the structure was a] prefab. Just dismantle the man’s property. But I hear the people destroyed it. That one, we cannot defend it.
“It is unfair, it was unfair to him. If it meant well, it should have been done well. Sometimes, you give instructions and people will go and do things that will make you look bad.”
Mark Okraku-Mantey
Asked what punitive measures were meted out to the workers that caused the destruction of the dome through the dismantling process, he said, “The Trade Fair does not fall under the ambit of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.”
Mark Okraku-Mantey, however, reiterated that before the demolition of the dome, he had called the owner, Leslie Quaynor about finding another place for its relocation.
He said he wanted to give Leslie a place at the National Museum. Unfortunately, the Dome was too big for the place.
On Saturday, March 16, 2024, the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited demolished the 20,000-seater capacity Fantasy Dome.
According to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Trade Fair, Dr. Agnes Adu, the action was taken after giving the owner by the CEO of Fantasy Entertainment, Leslie Quaynor, about eight notices to vacate the leased premises for a redevelopment project of the place, as stated in their tenancy agreement.
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