President Nana Akufo-Addo
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo yesterday swore in the first ever members of the Governing Board of the National Film Authority (NFA).
The new NFA board has veteran actor David Dontoh as Chairman, with Juliet Asante as its Executive Secretary.
Other members include Yaa Attafua, Representative of the Copyright Office nominated by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice; Josephine Ohene-Osei of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Arts, Mrs. Dora Darkwa-Mensah, Ministry of Communications; Dr. Samuel Anyetel Nai of National Film and Television Institute, and Samuel Fiscian, Ghana Actors Guild.
The rest are Zakaria Abdulai, Film Producers Association of Ghana; Kofi Nartey, Ghana Academy of Film and Television Arts; Akofa Edjeani, Women in Film and Television; Kofi Ohemeng Owusu, Collective Management Organization of Audio Visual Rights Owners; Mrs. Ankrah Ruklyatu Naa Ayikaley, Film Distributors, and Marketers, Samuel Gyandoh, Film Crew Association of Ghana, and Ernest Boateng, Television Stations nominee.
After taking them through the oaths of office and secrecy, the President charged the new members to ensure that the Ghanaian film industry (Ghallywood) becomes viable and competitive.
“We are told that the Nigerian film industry, Nollywood, earns annually one billion United States dollars for Nigeria. Ghallywood, the Ghanaian industry, should be able to do likewise for Ghana,” he stressed.
He has, therefore, urged stakeholders and all Ghanaians to, as it were, “rally behind, work with and support the Governing Board of the Authority.”
The President hinted that the Creative Arts Bill is currently before cabinet for consideration and once it is passed into law, the Act will establish the Creative Arts Fund, and an agency to promote the industry in order to assist government to create an enabling environment through which direct and indirect support for industry practitioners can be channelled.
He reiterated his government’s commitment to the creative arts industry, saying “our commitment to the development of Ghana’s creative art industry is absolute.”
David Dontoh, Chairman of the NFA Governing Board, was of the belief that the inauguration of the Governing Board was a strong indication of government’s determination to develop the film industry in Ghana.
He stressed the need for financial and political support to be able to achieve their aims and objectives, with a suggestion for government to at least consider establishing one “Multipurpose Theatre” in every district so the industry can screen their films there in order to reach all communities in Ghana.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent