President Akufo-Addo’s daughter Gyankroma Akufo-Addo has received her share of the Meek Mill unfortunate Jubilee House video controversies.
The daughter of the President who is the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Creative Arts Agency was not spared as many accused her of supervising such disorderly conduct.
Some online news portals had reported that people were enraged over what they viewed as the “desecration” of the presidency by Meek Mill and the security issues regarding the filming of a music video in such a high-profile building.
The video was reportedly first posted on Meek Mill’s Instagram account on Sunday and later deleted after the heavy backlash from the public.
Though the American rapper has apologised over the music video he filmed at the Jubilee House [Ghana’s Seat of Government], a section of the public believes the right person and office to issue such an apology is the Office of the President or Chief of Staff and the organizer of the visitation who happens to be the daughter of the President, Gyankroma Akufo-Addo.
“As an Acting CEO of Creative Arts Agency, you’ve to do due diligence when it comes to issues regarding creatives and the presidency. You don’t treat a high-security facility just because your father is the president so you walk in with anyone and give them access to very vital areas at the Presidency to shoot their music video. You even failed to check and approve the final video before it was posted.” A radio/tv pundit noted
Some creative industry players have also averred that Gyankroma Akufo-Addo has presided over some unlawful arts projects.
According to the Foundation of Concerned Arts Professionals (FOCAP), a 3-member board for the Creative Arts Council now Creative Arts Agency was inaugurated by the then Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister, Catherine Afeku in March 2017 with Bibi Bright as Secretary, Mark Okraku Mantey and Gyankroma Akufo-Addo, daughter of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The three-member team, according to the Minister, would select the rest of the Council’s members and also set up the right framework for the council.
FOCAP noted that the Agency was operating in 2017 without any guide or an ACT till Parliament finally passed the Creative Arts Industry Act, of 2020 [Act 1048].
Governance of the Agency
Myrepubliconline.com‘s checks revealed that under the Governing body of the Agency, Gyankroma Akufo-Addo is the only person occupying a position illegally since the Creative Arts Industry Act, 2020 [Act 1048].
The governing body for the Agency is a Board consisting of a person with the relevant competence and experience in the creative arts industry nominated by the Minister as chairperson; the Executive Secretary; seven representatives from the creative arts industry domain at least three of whom are women nominated by the creative arts industry to represent the domain on a rotational basis; one representative each from the following institutions of Government: (i) Ministry responsible for Tourism, Arts and Culture not below the rank of a Director
nominated by the Minister; (ii) Ministry responsible for Trade not below the rank of a Director nominated by the Minister responsible for Trade; (iii) Ministry responsible for Finance not below the rank of a Director nominated by the Minister responsible for Finance; and (iv) Office of the Attorney-General not below the rank of a Principal State Attorney nominated by the Attorney-General; and (e) the Copyright Administrator.
The President shall, by article 70 of the Constitution, appoint the chairperson and the other members of the Board.
The Creative Art Council will help to strengthen the institutional framework in conformity with copyright laws and contracts, provision of the appropriate legal regulatory framework for protecting intellectual property rights and facilitation of access to finance by stakeholders as some policy interventions to promote and develop creative arts.
Many creative industry players and groups are not pleased with the happenings and delay of appointments at the Creative Arts Agency.
Recently, they questioned why the self-acclaimed CEO of Creative Arts Agency, Gyankroma Akufo-Addo, allegedly received payment of $25 million to paint parts of Accra but the latter has refuted claims of such allegations.
She emphasised that these projects were solely conceived, managed, and financially undertaken by the Creative Arts Agency, through its own fundraising activities.
According to the President’s daughter, “In August 2018, Art for All was conceived. Its purpose was to beautify our capital city of Accra, to give a platform to our Ghanaian artists, to build art appreciation for its audience, and to serve as beautiful backdrops for videos, or photoshoots and be a tourist attraction.
“Each site had a six-week workshop process to identify themes, locations, and artists. Each site was paid for with funds largely from the private sector, sourced solely by the Creative Arts Agency. No contract to paint a succession of bridges or underpasses has either been conceived, has ever been offered, or has ever been accepted. Indeed, any tender or contract awarded for such a project would have been made public,” portions of the statement read.
Linking previous issues surrounding the arts industry to Meek Mill’s controversy Jubilee House music video industry players and creatives group is not far from the truth that the Agency is unlawfully headed by one person who has the power to go beyond the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Mohammed Awal and his Deputy Mark Okraku Mantey are yet to comment on Meek Mill’s Presidential Palace music viral video brouhaha.
In the video, Meek Mill is seen rapping at many locations throughout the presidency, including the facade, main corridors, the main conference hall (at a point behind the presidential pulpit), and afterwards in a sitting area.
