Mark Okraku-Mantey, former Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, has revealed that one of the projects he wished he could complete before leaving office was the amphitheatres.
He stated that the construction of the amphitheatres, which was his idea, stalled due to insufficient funding.
“[I wish I could finish] the amphitheatres because we would have added that to President Akufo-Addo’s CV. Yes, it is still his CV because he built it. Even as we exited, he got the budget, the money is there to finish it so it is still President Akufo-Addo’s achievement, but I would have loved to finish for him to open, launch, commission in his name like President Rawlings did to the National Theatre.”
Mark Okraku-Mantey
When Mark Okraku-Mantey was asked what prevented him from a building the amphitheatres, he said “it was budget issues.”
He added that he was happy Abla Dzifa Gomashie, a creative arts person, is the minister in charge of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts now because she would understand the needs of creatives better as the main minister and not a deputy.
Mark Okraku-Mantey said things would be different if he were the Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture in Akufo-Addo’s administration.
“The job of a follower is to also manage your leader, who is your boss. What he believes in, you also believe in. My job is to convince him, persuade him, and talk him into seeing the amphitheatre concept. The love for it will not be the same as the one who midwifed the concept. So if it was my baby directly and I was the one taking decisions for money, maybe the amphitheatre would have come before some of the other projects.”
Mark Okraku-Mantey
The amphitheatre idea was born after the NPP failed to provide ultra-modern theatres for nine regions as promised.
They rather resolved to establish five amphitheatres in five cities: Kumasi, Tema, Accra, Takoradi and Tamale but none of them was completed before the New Patriotic Party left power on January 7, 2025.
According to Mark an amount of about 2.5 million dollars from the World Bank did not suffice for the five projects so they had to go for an extra amount of about 700,000 dollars, which he claims is still available for the new government to use.
Mark Okraku-Mantey to Document His Works
The venerated music producer and politician announced plans to document his works.
Mark Okraku-Mantey stated that he will release a documentary that highlights his musical works.
“This year, we are putting my hit documentary together. This year, strictly on my songs, just my songs, then next year I will do it myself. Because my daughters, I am sure, in the next ten years will even struggle to tell my story; my own children. They only know me as a politician, but this other side of me cannot be hidden.”
Mark Okraku-Mantey
Mark Okraku-Mantey who was appointed as a Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture under the Akufo-Addo administration has a rich background in media and music production.
He started as a DJ in pubs and later on Joy FM. He was one of the DJs who played the test transmission when the station started operating on May 1, 1995.
Before he was appointed the Deputy Minister, he was the acting Creative Arts Council President, where he engaged creative practitioners across the country vis-à-vis soliciting their inputs to facilitate the passage of the Creative Industries Bill and organising monthly Masterclasses to equip industry players on their various disciplines.
He was the liaison between the government and the creative industry for strategic decision-making purposes.
Okraku-Mantey from February 2014 —March 2021 was engaged by the Multimedia group as Programmes Director where he was visibly noted for his creative skills in the Development and promotion of programmes.
Mark has been at the forefront in ensuring the growth of the creative industry nationally and internationally through partnership and industry development assistance that facilitated pathways to commercialisation and innovation.
He also worked to ensure the removal of barriers to market access by practitioners in the creative industry. He was instrumental in the effective organisation and management of the creative industry.
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