The indigenous arts of Ghana play an important role in the development of the nation. The roles they play are discussed below.

Job creation/employment:

Indigenous arts provide different ways of working for the majority of people, especially rural people. This helps them provide for themselves and their families, thus reducing the unemployment rate in the country, and reducing the burden of unemployment on the government.

Reducing migration from rural to urban areas:

Most of the indigenous arts in the country are performed by rural people in villages and small towns. Due to the fact that it provides jobs to the masses there, it prevents them from moving to urban centers to search for greener pastures, which puts great pressure on the limited resources and social facilities allocated to the cities in urban areas.

• Source of Revenue for the Nation:

Small and cottage industries engaged in the production of various indigenous arts pay tax revenues to the government. The money generated from these taxes can be used by the government in solving some related problems facing the nation.

• Offers training in the form of apprenticeships:

Local art production centers provide training in the form of apprenticeships to young people in the community. These youngsters may not have the privilege of a formal education and may have ended up being social deviants. Because these young people are absorbed by local industries, they help in reducing or eliminating social vices such as theft, alcoholism, etc. which often result from unemployment.

Promotion of the tourism industry:

The local industries are viable tourism industries and generate a lot of income for the nation. The original artworks are well curated by those paying tourists who buy them. Sometimes, some of their work is exported to other foreign lands to earn income for the artist and the nation.

• Serve as methods of cultural education:

Indigenous arts are like the “history books” of our rich cultural heritage. It helps the younger generation to know a lot about their rich cultural traditions that were bequeathed to them by their ancestors. These arts inform them not only of their material culture, but also of the rich philosophies, set of beliefs and way of life of their ancestors.

• Attracts foreign investors:

The activities of various local small industries are attracting the attention of foreign investors. Since this industry is highly profitable, these foreign investors invest their resources in the business by providing industry expansions in providing durable raw materials, modern technologies, as well as tools and machines.

This leads to booming of industry activities and more revenue for the workers and the nation as a whole.