President John Dramani Mahama has announced that his government will increase funding for Ghana’s creative arts sector in 2027, following the allocation of GH¢20 million each to the Film Fund and the Creative Arts Fund this year.

Speaking on Tuesday while receiving farewell calls from the outgoing Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Her Excellency Simone Giger, and the outgoing Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Her Excellency Berenice Owen-Jones, President Mahama said the additional funding will depend on how effectively the current allocations are utilized.

He revealed that the GH¢20 million allocated to the Film Fund has already been disbursed, with industry stakeholders determining how the resources should be invested. Another GH¢20 million has also been allocated to the Creative Arts Fund to support practitioners across the broader creative industry.

President Mahama said his administration is committed to sustaining support for the sector over the next three years, describing the creative economy as a key driver of tourism, job creation, and Ghana’s cultural identity.

He noted that while Ghana has abundant creative talent, many artists and creatives lack the financial support needed to grow their businesses and compete globally. According to him, government intervention is necessary to unlock the sector’s full potential.

“We’re willing, over the next three years, at least while I remain President, to continue making allocations to the creative sector so that we can unleash it,” he said.

The President added that investing in the creative arts will not only strengthen the industry but also help brand Ghana internationally by showcasing its rich culture, traditions, and artistic heritage.

The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts (MoTCCA) has officially clarified that it did not approve, endorse, sanction, or authorise the staging of the recently held Karnival Kingdom Festival in Accra.

In a statement dated May 7, 2026, and signed by the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, the Ministry stated that it did not receive any correspondence, proposal, request for approval, or official communication regarding the organisation of the festival.

According to the Ministry, it is therefore unaware of the processes through which the event was purportedly approved to take place in Ghana.

The clarification follows growing public concerns and widespread discussions over activities associated with the festival, particularly after materials considered culturally inappropriate circulated widely on social media.

The Ministry acknowledged the concerns raised by various stakeholders and sections of the public regarding the nature and conduct of the event.

As the supervisory public institution responsible for the tourism, culture, and creative arts sector, the Ministry stressed the importance of complying with established regulatory procedures and institutional engagements when organising public events, including festivals.

It further reminded organisers of tourism, cultural, entertainment, and recreational events to formally engage the appropriate state institutions and obtain all necessary regulatory approvals before staging such activities.

The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to preserving, promoting, and developing tourism and cultural activities that respect Ghana’s laws, uphold the country’s cultural identity and public decency, and protect Ghana’s reputation as a safe and culturally respectful destination

Fashion entrepreneur Osebo the Zaraman has publicly withdrawn his earlier comments regarding the leadership succession of the Kristo Asafo Mission, admitting that he mistakenly shared inaccurate information after misunderstanding the contents of the late Apostle Kwadwo Safo’s will.

Speaking in an interview with 1957 News on July 7, 2026, Osebo acknowledged that his latest remarks may attract criticism from the public, but stressed that correcting the record was more important than protecting his image.

“I know this second interview I’m doing will make Ghanaians insult me, but I’m not bothered. The most important thing is the truth I’m about to reveal. I was misled,” he said.

Osebo explained that after granting his first interview, a lawyer advised him to refrain from making any further public comments because there were important legal details he had not yet considered.

He revealed that a lawyer representing Sarah Adwoa Safo later sent him Paragraph 27 of the late Apostle Kwadwo Safo’s will. According to him, reading that section completely changed his understanding of how the church’s succession process was intended to work.

He stated that Paragraph 27 of the will makes it clear that any of Apostle Kwadwo Safo’s three children can become the leader of the church, following an amendment to the church’s constitution that ultimately led to the legal battle over the succession.

Osebo admitted that he had wrongly declared Kwadwo Safo Akofena as the rightful leader before fully understanding the contents of the will.

“I got it wrong, and that’s why I said it was Akofena. If I mistakenly said Akofena was chosen as the leader, the lawyer later drew my attention to the fact that it is not so. Unfortunately, the videos had already been uploaded,” he explained.

The fashion entrepreneur said he has no difficulty admitting his mistake publicly, adding that everyone is capable of making errors.

“I’m not ashamed to come out and correct myself publicly, and I don’t care who insults me. Everyone makes mistakes in life. My mistake was giving the public incorrect information because I was misled,” he said.

Osebo further recalled that from the beginning, he had maintained that he would support whoever was legally chosen to lead the church. He explained that his earlier endorsement of Kwadwo Safo Akofena was based solely on the information he believed to be accurate at the time.

He added that he initially supported Akofena because he thought he had been named the successor in the will. However, after reviewing Paragraph 27, he realized that Akofena was not specifically named as the church’s leader. Osebo said he has accepted his mistake and believes it is important to publicly correct the misinformation he previously shared.