Founder of 3Music Awards, Baba Sadiq, expresses reservations about the potential impact of the new leadership at the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture.
Although some creatives welcome the change, Sadiq believes it’s too late for the newly appointed minister, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, to bring about significant improvements.
In an interview with Graphic Showbiz, Baba Sadiq stressed the need for comprehensive solutions to address longstanding challenges within the creative sector. He points out Mercer’s limited timeframe (less than 10 months in office) and the upcoming elections, which he believes hinder the minister’s ability to make substantial changes.
“We all know this is an election year and from around June till we vote in December, government machinery grinds to a halt because it is when they focus on the elections and campaign.
“That time will eat into the few months left for them to deliver to us. The minister designate is also a sitting MP and he is seeking re-election so he will need time to do that as well, so he can’t do much, he remarked.
Furthermore, Sadiq highlights Mercer’s lack of industry background, asserting, “He is not an industry person and he has less than 10 months in office. He will need more time to study and understand the space if he is looking to push the sector forward which will take time. We would need someone who can run the space with a certain level of speed.”
Baba Sadiq emphasized,”He would need more time to understand the sector, issues and challenges in the industry, find resources and learn how things work before he can pick up, and the time is very limited for him to do all of these.”
Andrew Egyapa Mercer assumed the position of the new Tourism Minister, succeeding Ibrahim Awal, in a government reshuffle led by President Nana Addo on Wednesday, February 14, 2024.”
