Isaac Kofi Dzokpo
GHANAIAN COMIC actor Isaac Kofi Dzokpo, popularly known as Hon Ike, has urged the government and relevant stakeholders to take immediate action to revive the country’s struggling movie industry.
According to him, Ghana’s movie industry is a “sleeping giant” and, if properly harnessed, could create millions of jobs, reduce poverty, and project Ghana’s culture onto the global stage.
“The movie industry is a job machine. From the writer to the cameraman, the costume designer to the marketer, thousands of livelihoods depend on film. If taken seriously, it can be one of Ghana’s biggest tools for job creation and poverty reduction,” he said.
Hon Ike pointed to the success of Nigeria and South Africa as examples Ghana must learn from, saying, “Nigeria’s Nollywood, now the world’s second-largest film industry, employs over one million people and contributes billions of dollars annually to the economy.”
He argued that Ghana, blessed with abundant creative talent and cultural richness, has every opportunity to replicate such achievements if the right systems are put in place. He also stressed the need to support industry players already working tirelessly to sustain and grow the sector.
To revive the industry, Hon Ike outlined five key pillars: providing funding and grants to empower local filmmakers, establishing training schools to groom the next generation of technical and creative talent, strengthening distribution to expand film reach locally and globally, building global partnerships with foreign producers to raise standards, and leveraging digital platforms to open new markets and revenue streams.
He further urged government to back these measures with tax incentives, bold policy reforms, and partnerships with private investors to create a fertile environment for the industry to thrive.
“With the right policies, Ghana’s movie industry can become a cultural legacy we protect and an economic force we all benefit from,” he emphasised.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke