On 6th June 2025, a new body called the Creative Arts Federation of Ghana (CAFOG) was inaugurated at the National Theatre in Accra.
This federation is said to be a coming together of all associations, unions and guilds within the seven economic sectors of Ghana’s creative industry: film, fashion, music, performing arts, visual arts, literary arts and media.
According to its President, Richard Yaw Boateng, CAFOG was formed on 13th May 2020 in Accra. After five years of groundwork, a Governing Board has now been constituted, with executives duly elected.
“The vision of the Federation,” Richard explains, “is to unify all the stakeholder associations, unions and guilds in the creative arts industry in Ghana to form an apex or umbrella body to foster the development and prosperity of the creative arts industry.”
The Board comprises the three Executive members: President, Vice President and Secretary General, and two representatives from each of the seven domains of the creative sector. The elected Executives are Richard Yaw Boateng as President, David Dontoh as Vice President and Lilian Sally Addo as Secretary General.
Each of the seven domains also has its own committee, made up of representatives from the various groups within that domain.
All that sounds nice. But in my honest view, this federation is not needed, and here are my reasons.
Duplication of mandates
Some have argued that since there is the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF) for the tourism sector and the Ghana Culture Forum (GCF) for the culture front, we automatically need a body to represent creatives. But that argument collapses when you consider the composition of the Ghana Culture Forum, which already includes representatives from all the domains that CAFOG now claims to unify.
Here is a snapshot of the current leadership of the Ghana Culture Forum: Nana Otuo Owoahene Acheampong, Chairperson (Visual Arts), Ahuma Bosco Ocansey, Vice-Chairperson (Literary Arts/MUSIGA), Edwina Assan, General Secretary (Visual Arts) and Makeba Boateng Utip, Treasurer (Fashion/Textile).
Others are Samuel Dodoo, Executive Member (Visual Arts/Textiles), Kenneth (Ken) Fiati, Executive Member (Audio-Visual/Actors Guild) and Samuel Gyandoh, Executive Member (Audio-Visual/Film Crew).
Clearly, the Ghana Culture Forum is a cultural representation of the very same creative domains. The misconception that culture is only about traditional rites might be the reason CAFOG’s founders believe creatives need a separate platform. But the arts form part of culture. And the Culture Forum is already doing the job.
In fact, the GCF played a significant role in the review of the Culture Policy, which directly addresses creatives and their work in Ghana’s cultural framework. CAFOG, in this context, is redundant.
Our wanton love for forming associations
We seem to have an uncontrollable urge to form associations, even when we lack the discipline to make them functional. Look around. Apart from the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), which at the very least shows some signs of life, most creative associations in Ghana are either dormant or dead.
Where is the Ghana Actors Guild? How active is the Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG)? How many remember the last time the Film Crew Association of Ghana (FCAG) made a meaningful impact? What about the Ghana Association of Writers (GAW) or the Models Union of Ghana (MODUGA)?
Some may call it a chicken-and-egg situation: do we need a federation first to function, or must we function first to create a federation? To me, it should be a bottom-up approach.
I was even surprised to learn that many of these groups were not consulted before CAFOG was launched. They probably just handpicked individuals they wanted to form part of the sub-committees and went ahead with the inauguration.
Here is an excerpt from a notice circulated by some major industry stakeholders of the creative arts:
“It has come to our notice that Mr. Bessa Simons was not consulted or involved in the formation of this federation. Proper consultation was not done and we question its legitimacy. We, the undersigned – GAFTA, ARSOG, MUSIGA, GAG, Crew Association, Women in Film and Television, FIPAG and the Ghana Culture Forum – wish to dissociate ourselves from this federation and clarify that we are not part of it, despite any claims to the contrary.”
There is nothing inherently wrong with forming associations. But let’s be honest. The Ghana Culture Forum already exists and is doing what CAFOG says it wants to do. Instead of dividing attention and confusing stakeholders, it would be more productive for CAFOG’s leaders to throw their weight behind the existing structure.
Dear CAFOG, I am not being cynical. But the future looks foggy for your venture. For the sake of unity and progress, just support the Ghana Culture Forum and help strengthen what is already in motion.
