Government allocates 2 million cedis for the creative industry

Vice-President John Dramani Mahama, on Friday said Government had allocated 2 million Ghana cedis for the creative industry, to boost the sector to enable it to obtain international standards.

The Vice President said he would meet stakeholders in the sector to discuss how the money should be accessed, and chart a way forward in enhancing a favourable image for the industry.

He was speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2012 National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) lectures on Ghanaian motion picture industry, in Accra.

The ceremony was to celebrate the creative works of veteran King Ampaw, a film maker, on the theme: ‘Celebrating Cross-Cultural Collaboration between Ghana and Germany’.

Vice President Mahama called on operators in the creative industry to unite and articulate their problems rather than approaching Government individually for solution to problems.

He promise to meet management of NAFTI to discuss the delayed construction of the students studio complex.

The Vice President said NAFTI has produced great and creative personalities in the film industry, which has gained international recognition and appealed to the students to harness their potentials towards the development of the industry.

Vice President Mahama presented an award and plaque on behalf of NAFTI to King Ampaw for his contribution to the development of Ghanaian motion picture industry, and the promotion of cross-cultural collaboration between Ghana and Germany.

The Vice President congratulated King Ampaw for his creative artistic skills film making.

Awards were also given to Goathe Institute and the Frederich Ebert Foundation and NAFTI retirees for their support and commitment to the growth of the NAFTI.

King Ampaw thanked the NAFTI, Goathe Institute and the Frederich Ebert Foundation for support him to attain achievements.

He said he was working on his last film titled ‘Kwame Nkrumah: the Son of Africa’ to complete his creative works and solicited financial support from all and Sundry.

Professor Linus Abraham, Rector of NAFTI, said the Institute Film Lecture was the signature event that linked NAFTI on a symbolic and pragmatic level to improving quality of works in the film industry.

He said NAFTI was facing challenges and mentioned that subvention from Government was constantly being reduced and that the Institute never had enough resources to engineer infrastructural development to bring NAFTI to the digital age.

Prof Abraham appealed to Government to support the NAFTI to achieve its objectives.

Mr Hans-Christian Winkler, Deputy German Ambassador to Ghana, said the Germany Government was committed to strengthening ties between the two countries.

He said Germany would continue to support the NAFTI, and appealed to film makers to ensure originality and good quality work.