Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central and entertainment personality Kwame Asare Obeng, popularly known as A-Plus, has called for greater solidarity among stakeholders in Ghana’s creative arts industry, describing it as one of the most divided sectors in the country.
According to A-Plus, the lack of collective action among creatives stands in sharp contrast to the way other professional groups rally around their members when their interests are threatened.
Speaking on United Showbiz, he pointed to doctors, nurses, teachers and other organised professionals as examples of groups that quickly close ranks when one of their own faces a challenge.
He referenced a recent situation at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, where health workers reportedly considered industrial action over concerns surrounding the treatment of the hospital’s leadership. For A-Plus, such incidents demonstrate the strength that comes from professionals standing together.
He also cited the LGBTQ+ community as another group he believes has demonstrated a strong sense of solidarity, arguing that its members often defend one another when faced with criticism or attacks.
“The whole of Ghana, the only group that is not united is the creative arts industry,” he said.
A-Plus maintained that differences of opinion are inevitable within any industry, but argued that creatives must be willing to put those differences aside when the broader interests of the sector are at stake.
He stressed that the entertainment industry makes a significant contribution to Ghana and therefore deserves the collective protection of those who work within it.
“When you attack the entertainment industry, I will have a problem with you because I have explained to you what entertainment brings to the country. As stakeholders in the industry, you have to be there for the people, especially when you’re sitting on a platform that is made for the arts,” he stated.
The Gomoa Central MP said his commitment to defending the creative arts stems partly from his belief that entertainers and other practitioners are often not accorded the respect they deserve.
“I am always happy when I remember that I defended the arts because I feel like someone must defend the arts,” he said.
A-Plus also recalled an encounter during his early days in Parliament that, in his view, exposed the dismissive attitude some people have towards entertainment professionals.
He said a fellow MP once greeted him with the words, “A-Plus, this is not United Showbiz. What are you doing here?”
For A-Plus, the comment was an indication that some people still associate showbiz with frivolity and fail to recognise the skill and effort involved in creative work.
“That means those of us in showbiz are useless people. But it’s not easy to put words together to create music. That is why you need to give respect to the arts,” he said.
Turning his attention to entertainment pundit Arnold Asamoah-Baidoo, A-Plus urged him and other industry stakeholders to become more deliberate about championing the sector, particularly when they have a public platform.
He argued that personal disagreements should not prevent industry players from defending the wider interests of the creative arts.
“Arnold, don’t be offended by what I said the other day, but when we are talking about the arts, we need to be biased, especially when we are on this platform because this is where we get to defend the arts. We are looked down on, so we need to fight as much as possible to defend it. Every group is protecting their own, so let’s also protect ours,” A Plus further stated.
Watch his remarks below.
The most divided group in Ghana is arguably the creative arts industry – A Plus #UnitedShowbiz pic.twitter.com/twRAuOmPjv
— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) August 16, 2026
