Combination photo of Okraku Mantey (left) and Shatta Wale
Deputy Minister-designate for Tourism, Arts and Culture is a candidate who has the backing of the entire showbusiness ecosystem in Ghana.
An unscientific assertion advanced by journalist Paul Adom-Otchere who is quick to add that there is one person who is not happy for the nominee, Shatta Wale he says.
GhanaWeb monitored comments Adom-Otchere made on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana program on Thursday, April 22, 2021.
“All of us in this industry terribly wish Mark Okraku Mantey well, and I have heard it on the radio, television, everywhere. Apart from Shatta Wale, who I understand is getting a change of mind, apart from him, everybody is wishing Okraku Mantey well,” the TV host claimed.
His claim is largely hinged on a January 2021 Facebook Live broadcast in which Shatta Wale opined that Okraku Mantey was not going to be good news for the industry if he was appointed to a ministerial role.
“We have not forced government to structure our music industry for us and so when we are there we will be hearing things like they want to take Mark Okraku Mantey as Deputy Minister for Tourism Arts and Culture.
“We can’t live in an industry where we are moved by people who don’t even have the knowledge, who don’t know technology, who don’t know things about the music industry.”
“If they claim they have been there before me, they should show me a structure they have created that has helped the industry. Mark Okraku Mantey should come and show me the structure he has created to help the industry,” the musician who touts himself as the African Dancehall King said at the time.
Okraku Mantey is part of a list of 39 deputy ministers designate that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has submitted to parliament for vetting and approval.
He is one of five nominees who are non-MPs and his name had long been peddled as a deputy to the substantive Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister, Mohammed Awal.
Many industry players have celebrated the nomination and expressed hope that he will use his deep insights to advance the cause of the arts especially, whiles a minority among industry players including Shatta Wale insists he is not cut for the job.