The National Film Authority Now Action Group (NFAnow -AG), a pressure group formed by stakeholders and practitioners from the film industry have expressed their grievances about government’s reluctance to set up a National Film Authority Board.
According to the group, the National Film Authority, which was established three years ago is in dire need of a Board to steer the affairs of the Authority.
The group, whose aim is to see the establishment of the National Film Authority (NFA) Board under the Classification and Development of Film Act, Act 935 yesterday, organised a picketing at the premises of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
The Public Relations Officer for the Group, Kojo Preko Dankwah, indicated during the picketing that it was not fair that they did not have an executive secretary and a governing board.
“We want the Ministry and the government to setup the National Film Authority Board. As at now, government has not given us our Executive Secretary and has not set up the Governing Board to start work, which is not fair to the industry,” he stressed.
He explained that, “We have the influx of foreign movies in the country and our film makers cannot get access to funds to produce national movies that can sell the country at large and there are no regulations and structures to prevent the influx of foreign movies into the country”
He mentioned that, the influx of these foreign movies have a long term influence on children and the youth as well as have an effect on our culture and that if the situation is not dealt with, the generations to come would not know anything about the Ghanaian culture and would buy into other foreign culture and values.
“If you realize, now our young men and women when marrying today dress like Indians. That is the perception we have created for them to learn and this is sickening, it’s not proper,” he added.
He further stated that, “Now we know America as the world most powerful, how you know? It’s through movies and that is the perception they have created for us. Why do we allow such a thing to happen to us for our young ones to appreciate foreign culture instead of ours?”
He added that “by 20th of December, 2019 if we do not hear anything, this time around, it’s not going to be picketing, its going to be a demonstration to the Jubilee house. That’s where maybe the president will want to listen to us.”
The Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Barbara Oteng Gyasi, in addressing the group, stated that the entire constitution has been submitted to the Council of State for approval and that by next week, the group would receive feedback.
“The president has nominated the Executive Director as well as the board chairperson. The entire constitution of the Board has now been submitted to the Council of State for approval so we are expecting to receive the approval next week for the Board to be inaugurated in order to address all issues affecting the film industry to ensure that the industry takes its proper place and support the economy of Ghana,” she added.
The Minister, assured them that the board will be inaugurated before the end of the year.
Source: thefinderonline.com
