Creative industry needs law, not sympathy

Socrate Safo has called on government and industry leadership to prioritise long-term market protection over symbolic support, warning that investor confidence in Ghana’s creative sector is at risk.

“The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture must move beyond symbolic support,” Safo said in Facebook post sighted by MyNewsGh, arguing that public funding and government-backed sponsorships should be tied to measurable sustainability outcomes.

He proposed the introduction of a Creative Market Protection Policy, backed by legislation, to set minimum pricing standards, regulate free access, and protect investor interests across the sector.

“Government intervention should build markets, not replace them,” Safo stated.

Drawing lessons from the decline of Ghana’s film industry, Safo pointed to unregulated free access as a key factor in the collapse of revenue and investor participation.

“Once free access became the norm, revenue vanished, investors disappeared, and production slowed,” he said.

He also emphasised the need for transparent revenue reporting, standardised investment agreements, and enforceable penalties for misrepresentation.

“Investors do not abandon industries out of spite,” Safo noted. “They leave when systems fail them.”

Addressing audiences, Safo rejected the notion that consumers are responsible for the crisis, stating that audience behaviour reflects industry choices.

“Audiences respond to what they are taught,” he said. “If patience has replaced payment, it is because the industry allowed it.”

He concluded by describing the current moment as a decisive turning point.

“The future will not be saved by noise or sympathy,” Safo stated. “It will be saved by discipline, enforcement, and the courage to choose long-term value over short-term applause.”