By Issah Olegor
President John Dramani Mahama has revoked the appointment of Gideon Aryeequaye as Acting Executive Secretary of the Creative Arts Agency, in a decision that signals a fresh restructuring of the creative and cultural governance architecture.
The decision, which took effect on February 28, 2026, was formally communicated in a letter signed by the Secretary to the President, Callistus Mahama.
According to the directive, Aryeequaye has been reassigned to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, where he is expected to serve without a specific portfolio.
His new role will focus on supporting ongoing programmes and contributing to broader institutional strengthening efforts within the ministry.
Gideon Aryeequaye, a former newscaster at TV3 was originally appointed Acting Executive Secretary of the Creative Arts Agency in March 2025, at a time when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration was re-establishing its influence across key state institutions following its return to power.
His appointment was widely interpreted as part of a broader strategy to reposition the creative sector as a central pillar of national development, tourism promotion, and cultural diplomacy.
The Creative Arts Agency itself, established under Act 1048, is mandated to coordinate, regulate, and promote activities within the creative sector, while implementing policies designed to stimulate growth across music, film, fashion, visual arts, theatre, and related industries.
Under Aryeequaye’s leadership, the agency outlined ambitious plans, including the introduction of a national creative arts awards scheme, a creative arts festival, a national fashion show, an arts quiz for senior high schools, and a major highlife concert aimed at preserving and promoting the musical heritage.
He previously served briefly as Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority in 2016 under the NDC government.
His tenure was cut short when the party lost power in the 2016 elections, forcing him to hand over the position in 2017.
In a 2025 interview on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z with Kwame Dadzie, Aryeequaye openly stated that he had expected to be reappointed as CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority when the NDC returned to power.
He explained that he had barely spent four months in the role before the change of government and had developed long-term projections for the tourism sector based on ideas and best practices he encountered at international exhibitions and engagements.
He described his time at the GTA as “a very beautiful experience,” noting that he had hoped to return to implement strategic ideas he believed could significantly transform the tourism industry. That expectation, however, did not materialise, and instead, he was appointed to lead the Creative Arts Agency in 2025.
The latest decision to revoke his acting appointment and reassign him to the ministry without a defined portfolio has therefore been interpreted in policy circles as part of a wider administrative reorganisation rather than a personal sanction.
