Deputy CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Abeiku Santana, has dismissed claims that the creative arts sector was disregarded and not given any allocation in the 2025 budget.
According to him, it is not accurate for persons to suggest that the sector was not budgeted for in 2025.
In an interview on Okay FM on September 16, 2025, Abeiku Santana explained that although explicit budgets may have not been made, offices such as the Black Star Experience secretariat and the Creative Arts Agency are actively planning events and engaging in activities which have all been funded.
“Just because the president said an allocation is going to be made for the creative arts doesn’t mean no money was spent on the body this year.
“We cannot claim that we have not spent any money in the sector, that’s not true. We are spending and there are a lot of things going on. Look at the Black Star Experience; they are moving around, getting things in motion. There is funding for that. The creative arts agency is also moving around, planning things out. So there is some funding for all that,” he said.
According to him, the budgetary allocation promised by President John Dramani Mahama for the sector in the 2026 Budget refers to when a full timeline is released and the specific sums required are known.
“What the budget will be for is when they finally release a proper timeline of events. Then the amount needed will be given to them. That is what the President meant by a budgetary allocation will be made next year.
“So things are going on; it’s not like the sector was abandoned or there was no money for it. I’m urging people to be patient and trust the process,” Santana said.
He assured the public and creatives that financing for the sector would be made, urging them to have patient and faith in the process.
President Mahama, during his encounter with the media assured that allocations for the sector would be made in the next fiscal budget to support film, music, and the broader creative industries.
