The Deputy Minister for Tourism Arts and Culture, Mr. Mark Okraku-Mantey, has charged Ghanaian and Nigerian musicians to collaborate more.
Mr. Okraku-Mantey made the statement during a discussion on Hitz FM, adding that those who see the two countries as rivals are rather hurting the creative industry.
He described the relationship between Ghana and Nigerian music as one that has to be protected for the benefit of both countries.
“I hear this conversation on Ghana and Nigeria. Are we not tired of asking the same question for far too long? The truth is that the thing between Ghana and Nigeria is outmoded.
“We are supposed to talk about how our collaborations can us forward and not the competition between Ghana and Nigeria.”
He also mentioned the African Continental Free Trade Area initiative that was signed in 2018.
“We have signed a treaty called the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which means that Africans are supposed to work together. Now we are even breaking the boundaries of the countries. 55 countries signed this treaty and Ghana signed first.”
The heat should focus on healthy competition which will refuel positive energies to breaking the international music market.
“I think I am here to make that conversation rest. Let’s begin to think of how to do more things together to compete against other parts of the world.”
The long conversation about these two industries on who does it best has to be buried, rather he holds the opinion that all that banter should be channelled into collaborations to project Africa togetherness.
