Speakers at a policy dialogue hosted by the Centre for Research, Culture and Creative Arts (CeRCCA) of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), have called for a well-structured pension scheme to safeguard the future of Ghanaian creatives and preserve the nation’s cultural heritage.
The event highlighted the limitations of existing ad hoc support systems, particularly for retirement, which have left the creative sector unattractive to younger generations. Stakeholders stressed the urgent need for reliable and sustainable retirement plans that offer security and dignity to creatives.
The dialogue brought together representatives from key industry bodies such as the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA), Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG), and the Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO). It focused on two research reports—one on pensions for creatives and the other on establishing a national apprenticeship model.
Prof. Emmanuel Obed Acquah of UEW’s School of Creative Arts noted that the current SSNIT pension scheme fails to adequately support creatives due to irregular income patterns, the sector’s informal nature, and existing policy gaps. As a result, many practitioners face poor living conditions in retirement, posing a threat to the sector’s long-term viability.
He called for a legal framework and an independent regulatory body to ensure an effective and sustainable pension system tailored for creatives.
UEW Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Stephen Jobson Mitchual, emphasized that while the creative industry is a cultural and economic powerhouse, the absence of retirement security exposes practitioners to hardship in old age. “We’ve seen talented people reduced to begging for rent. Without support, many die in distress,” he said.
He praised CeRCCA’s research and urged deeper partnerships between academia and industry to empower creatives and protect Ghana’s cultural legacy.
Prof. Evans Asante, Dean of the School of Creative Arts, stressed that discussions on pensions and apprenticeships for creatives have been long overlooked despite their role in national development.
Prof. Osuanyi Quaicoo Essel called for a robust apprenticeship system to tackle unemployment, adding that people with practical skills are more likely to find jobs.
GHAMRO CEO Jackson Brefo encouraged collaboration between academia and the creative industry to train upcoming talents in creative laws and ethics.