Mark Okraku Mantey questions Mahama’s broken Ghana fashion week promise
GH News Media
By Theophilus Asare Boafo
Former Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Mark Okraku-Mantey, has openly criticised the lack of accountability surrounding the unfulfilled promise of a Ghana Fashion Week event initially announced by former President John Dramani Mahama.
In an interview with Hitz FM on August 4, 2025, Okraku-Mantey questioned the silence from stakeholders within the tourism and creative arts industry regarding the delayed fashion show, which was scheduled to take place in July 2025.
The event was promised by President Mahama during the official launch of the Black Star Experience held in May.
“President Mahama promised a fashion show in July and said he would walk the catwalk himself,” Okraku-Mantey stated.
“We are now in August, and nothing has happened. No explanations have been given. There’s complete silence.”
The former minister went on to emphasise what he perceives as a double standard in how the public and industry players respond to political leadership in the creative sector.
“If it were Mark Okraku-Mantey in office today, there would be loud criticism everywhere. But because I’m not, and it's a different administration, everyone is quiet,” he lamented.
Okraku-Mantey used the moment to revisit broader issues of selective scrutiny in the creative industry, drawing comparisons to recent events such as the candlelight vigil organised for highlife icon Daddy Lumba.
He questioned the real tourism value of such activities and used the opportunity to highlight his own past initiatives—including the introduction of “funeral tourism”.
The funeral tourism concept, introduced during his time in office, aimed to leverage culturally significant funeral events as a means to stimulate local economic activity, particularly in regions like Ashanti, where such ceremonies draw massive crowds.
While the concept generated national conversation and even criticism from some quarters, Okraku-Mantey reaffirmed his belief in its potential to boost domestic tourism and local economies.
He maintained that Ghana’s cultural richness should be a key asset in tourism development, provided it's marketed with innovation and purpose.
Despite growing calls for transparency and accountability, no official communication has been made by the current government or the Ministry of Tourism regarding the status of the fashion show promised by the former president.
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