Protect creative industry players now
News about the accident involving ‘Ghana’s Bob Marley’, Abrantie Amakye Dede, and the demise of his manager as a result again reminded me of the risks artistes and members of the creative arts in general are exposed to on daily basis.
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The evergreen musician always gets me on my feet anytime I listen to his songs and attend entertainment shows at which he performs. Mention the artistes on the bill to a big programme and one can be sure nothing would motivate me to attend if Amakye Dede is not on the bill.
His style of music and stage craft is loved by all classes of society – the young, the old, the elite, etc. But how would you have felt if the story had turned out to be the worst of our imaginations?
Indeed, this is not the first time we have heard about some of our celebrities getting involved in such terrible accidents.
Mention can be made of the untimely deaths of the likes of Terry Bonchaka, Suzzie Williams and Kwame Owusu Ansah, who all died in road accidents. This thought has indeed given me cause for concern, thus pushing to the fore the need for insurance.
Call for Group Life Insurance ignored?
Sometime last year, my heart was gladdened when in what appeared to be an advocacy for Group Insurance, a panelist on a radio entertainment programme, after listening to the sad story of the late Madam Comfort Annor, strongly advocated a compulsory insurance package for the entire membership of Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO) and others and emphasised that these associations had the capacity to provide personal accident and medical insurance cover for their members.
To the best of my knowledge, like the proverbial vulture, the story ended there and I am yet to hear of any such arrangement seeing the light of day.
The fatal accident involving Amakye Dede naturally triggered similar discussions and advocacies in various media but it’s almost a forgotten thought less than a month after the unfortunate incident.
Who should blaze the trail?
Currently, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts seems to be doing its best for entertainers and one that should have left the drawing board by now is a compulsory group life insurance for all musicians, movie actors and actresses, comedians, among several others, including fancy dancers!
The ministry, I believe, also has the responsibility to encourage all entertainers to patronise personal insurance policies as well.
In the case of Amakye Dede, the medical costs, the cost of fixing the damaged car and the medical costs of the injured bodyguard, and funeral expenses are naturally costs that may have to be borne whether one has the money or not.
It is instructive to note that the surest way to mitigate the effects of these happenings is through a properly arranged insurance.
Are Ghanaian Artistes Concerned about Insurance?
The answer here is a big ‘No’! Many an artiste or creative industry person is not interested or feels disasters are about some other persons but not them. Unlike in the advanced world where artistes could even insure their voices against an ailment such as common sore-throat, most artistes in Ghana don’t. At the peak of their trade, some are often carried away by their wealth from ‘once-in-a-while shows;’ hence, their dis-interest in matters related to insurance.
It is about time artistes became more mindful of the fact that stardom is largely transient and that the unfortunate circumstances of some celebs in the past could befall any of them. Thus, they may be strong, youthful and very active today, but the same cannot be guaranteed the next second!
Advocacies end in the cold room
In reference to what a panelist on a radio programme emphasised last year regarding the insurance agenda, I wish to indicate that officials at the helm of affairs must take a certain insurance decision as a matter of urgency. It is needless to say that medical expenses on kidney, liver, lungs and heart, for instance, can be pretty expensive; hence, the need for insurance cover to mitigate the costs arising from such unfortunate and unforeseen mishaps. Moreover, as death is inevitable, the need for an insurance package to compensate the nominated dependents (e.g. wife, children, siblings and parents) of artistes who meet their untimely deaths has also become important.
In this regard, the leadership of the various associations in our entertainment industry should, as a matter of urgency, consider insurance for their members in relation to accidents, terminal illness, hospitalisation and death. While advocating that artistes take a special interest in insurance, there is also the need for appropriate education to members in order that they may fully appreciate and support the need for such insurance protection.
Beyond the group insurance policy for the various associations, however, individual members may also consider personalised insurance such as personal investments, education financing and funeral cover for self and / or family as well. From the experiences of some people, I have come to realise that mishaps occur when one is financially handicapped.
In the course of my career in insurance, I have often sold the idea of insurance to my friends in the entertainment industry, especially, and some of the rather unfortunate responses I get from their ‘artistic tongues’ smack of total disinterest or disregard for the sector.
The reality, however, only dawns on all of us when we hear such shocking stories of Amakye Dede’s accident. Artistes falling seriously ill or dying suddenly, either accidentally or through other natural causes, are occurrences we should expect from time to time but what happens thereafter should be a matter of equal concern to us.
While calling on the sector ministry to lead the campaign for insurance, the time has come for the leadership of our entertainment fraternity to seriously consider a group insurance for their members in relation to personal accident, ailment hospitalisation, and even death. They must talk to insurance practitioners, brokers and agents on which mix of covers would be relevant to their respective associations.
It is, therefore, my expectation that the leaders of GHAMRO and MUSIGHA, respectively, would chart this new path of bringing hope to their members.
I don’t know who has taken over the mantle as the President of the Ghana Actors Guild (GAG) after the demise of Rev. Eddie Coffie last year. Indeed. He was one of the few I made the call on last year to take a very serious look at but unfortunately, he bowed out when he was most needed.
It is also an opportunity for the various leaders to leave such a life-long legacy in service to God and country.
Until Next Week, “This is Insurance from the eyes of my mind.” — GB
