MPs Push for National Highlife Music Promotion After UNESCO Nod

Parliamentarians are urging swift national action to safeguard and promote Ghana’s Highlife music following its recognition by UNESCO.

The call follows an announcement by the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, on Friday, December 12, to Parliament that Highlife has been inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for 2025.

According to the Minister, this global recognition reinforces the government’s commitment to protecting Ghana’s cultural heritage through focused policies and programmes. “Mr Speaker, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and its implementing agencies remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting, preserving and advancing our cultural heritage. The recognition of Highlife by UNESCO strengthens our resolve to do even more,” she stated.

Ms. Gomashie further explained that the Ministry, in collaboration with other agencies, will increase efforts in documenting, researching, and archiving traditional knowledge to ensure Highlife music continues to thrive for generations to come. The Ministry will also continue to develop policies and programmes aimed at strengthening documentation, research and archiving traditional knowledge.

Commenting on the announcement, Takoradi Member of Parliament, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, emphasized the need for a well-defined national strategy to revitalize and sustain the Highlife genre. He warned that without deliberate intervention, Highlife risks becoming extinct.

“We know that Hiplife is also a modification of the Highlife genre. There is that connection that shows that if you get Highlife solid, the other genres can also develop and be monetised for the good of society,” Mr Darko-Mensah argued, highlighting the genre’s influence on contemporary Ghanaian music.

He expressed concern over the dwindling number of active Highlife artists, stressing the importance of state support to identify and nurture emerging talents. “Currently, as you see it, only a few artistes are actually engaged in Highlife, and if you are not careful, it might die off. We need a strategic arrangement to quickly identify those showing promise, support them to grow, and ensure they can deliver more for this country,” he said.

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