Ghanaian comedian DKB advocates for companies sponsoring cultural and arts activities to receive tax rebates.
Drawing inspiration from some Nigerian states, the comedian suggests that this approach would incentivize greater investment in the showbiz industry.
During an interview with Kwame Dadzie on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z, DKB highlighted the potential of a policy offering tax holidays to showbiz sponsors as a means to enhance and support the sector.
“It’s a bill I will present to parliament possibly though a very good MP who understand creative arts. A couple of states in Nigeria have this tax rebate concept when your corporate social responsibility does not only involve buying Jollof and giving them o poor people on the streets but also sponsoring creative arts.”
“So you sponsor creative arts, at the end of the year when you are filing your tax returns you get a tax rebate,” he noted.
DKB’s proposal arises amid grievances from individuals in the creative arts industry regarding taxation on their activities.
While acknowledging their responsibility to contribute to the nation’s development through taxes, creatives argue that the challenging conditions in the arts industry make it challenging for them to break even, let alone fulfill tax obligations.
Event organizers, particularly in the arts, face considerable difficulties in securing sponsorships, hindering their ability to execute various programs.
Prominent figures in the creative sector, including comedians OB Amponsah and Lekzy DeComic, along with George Quaye, the team lead for ImageBureau, have urged the government to explore more feasible approaches to include arts-related events in the tax framework.