Deputy Tourism Minister Mark Okraku Mantey has revealed that the government has been unable to complete the construction of five planned amphitheaters due to a shortage of funds.
In 2020, the government pledged to build these amphitheaters across the country to support the creative industry. However, four years later, none of the amphitheaters have been finished, despite an initial allocation of $500,000 for the project.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Manifesto Debate on Creative Arts, the Deputy Minister explained that the project was primarily funded by the World Bank. He noted that the funds allocated for the project have now been depleted, leading to the delays in its completion.
“Primarily, the delay is due to budget constraints since the project is funded by the World Bank. We need additional funding to complete it, which has caused the delay.
However, the Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture has requested an extension until the first quarter of 2025 from Parliament,” Mark Okraku Mantey said on Saturday.
He further explained that the Ministry has sought additional funds from Parliament and remains optimistic that work will soon resume.
The initial budget was insufficient due to rising market prices, which impacted the project’s completion timeline.
“The budget had to be adjusted because of increased market prices, affecting our original plan to finish the amphitheaters.
We have requested additional funding, and once it is approved, we expect to receive some funds within the next two weeks and return to the site,” he added.
Okraku Mantey noted that the Minister for Tourism has defended the need for extra funding in Parliament and is hopeful that the project will be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2025.
