Ghana is seeking to deepen its presence in the global film industry through a proposed partnership with a United States-based film and television fund aimed at promoting tourism, developing local creative talent and attracting investment into the country's creative economy.
The initiative emerged from a high-level meeting between the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, and Akunna E. Cook, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Next Narrative Africa and representative of the fund.
During the engagement, Ms. Cook disclosed that two of the first nine projects supported by the fund are set in Ghana, with another production scheduled to be filmed across Ghana and Nigeria.
She said the fund was keen on collaborating with Ghana to use international film productions as a vehicle to showcase the country's tourism attractions, rich cultural heritage and creative talent to audiences around the world, particularly the African diaspora.
The proposed collaboration is expected to open new opportunities for Ghana's tourism and creative sectors by leveraging the global reach of film and television to attract visitors, stimulate investment and create platforms for local industry professionals.
As part of efforts to strengthen continental cooperation in the creative economy, Ms. Cook also invited Hon. Gomashie to participate in a proposed panel discussion at the iconic Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York. The engagement is expected to bring together creative economy ministers from across Africa to explore strategies for advancing the continent's creative industries.
In response, Hon. Gomashie welcomed the proposed partnership and reaffirmed the Ministry's commitment to supporting initiatives that promote Ghana's tourism, culture and creative arts sectors.
She emphasised that collaboration with international film industry stakeholders would help strengthen local creative capacity, promote Ghana's cultural identity and enhance the country's reputation as a preferred destination for film production and tourism.
The Minister was accompanied by her Deputy, Yussif Issaka Jajah, and the Director of Tourism, Dr. Geoffrey Deladem Tamakloe.
The proposed partnership represents another opportunity for Ghana to position its cultural and creative assets as strategic tools for economic growth, international visibility and tourism development.
With international film productions increasingly serving as platforms for destination marketing and cultural storytelling, the initiative could provide Ghana with greater access to global audiences while creating new opportunities for local filmmakers, artists, tourism operators and other ccreative industry professionals.
