The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, has said that the government’s partnership agreement with Afro Nation still holds.
He told Joy FM in an interview on the sidelines of an editors’ forum held at the Accra City Hotel on Monday, August 14, 2023 that the concert will still be held in Ghana despite the announcement that Nigeria will be having its version this year.
“Afro Nation has not been taken away from Ghana. We even had a meeting last week. We discussed it. There are certain demands they want and we are trying to look at how to collaborate. It has not been taken yet. But we have alternatives,” he said.
Asked if Afro Nation will be held again in Ghana he answered: “most likely. Very likely. This year, over the next three years.”
The government of Ghana signed a deal with Event Horizon Entertainment Limited to host Afro Nation in Ghana for five years.
This was after the concert was first held in Ghana from December 27 to 30, 2019 at the Laboma Beach in Accra.
The deal between the Ghanaian government and the organisers of Afro Nation was signed in the presence of the President, Nana Akufo-Addo and the Ghana Tourism Authority.
A few months ago, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Tourism Authority, Akwasi Agyemang, said in an interview on Asaase Radio that he was apprised of information that other countries had expressed interest in having events like AfroFuture (formerly Afrochella) and Afro Nation.
“We want to go back to the cabinet and say ‘this is the document, this is what we did in ‘December in GH’, this is what they are saying, this is the impact, these are the numbers that came in; for us to sustain this to a level,” he said.
“Other countries are pushing. I mean I know, Ruddy, talk to the Afrochella guys and Little Havana. People have approached them. Countries have approached them to bring the events to them,” he added.
He said this while stressing the need for Ghanaians to cherish the Beyond the Return agenda and the benefits it has brought the nation.
Apart from Afro Nation Ghana, there are Afro Nation U.S., Afro Nation Puerto Rico, Afro Nation Mexico, and Afro Nation Portugal.
The organizers of Afro Nation have signed a 5-year partnership deal with the government of Ghana. The first edition was held in December 2019, took a break due to the coronavirus pandemic and returned in December 2022.
Some Ghanaians have expressed concern about how it may affect Afro Nation Ghana and the whole December in GH initiative.
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Afro Nation was founded by Adesegun Adeosun aka SMADE of Smade Entertainment and his partner Obi Asika.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
