Be patient! I’m behind the wheel – Minister tells film makers

The Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon. Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, has urged Ghanaian film makers to be patient as she works tirelessly to ensure that the National Film Authority (NFA) comes into existence.

This follows demands made by practitioners in Ghana’s film industry on Tuesday, December 10, 2019.

They explained that they are tired of waiting for the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture to appoint a board for the National Film Authority as well as the appointment of an executive secretary.

However speaking in an exclusive interview with Ghanaweb's Ezekiel Fiifi Koomson, Honourable Barbara Oteng expressed her disappointment at the leaders of Ghana film makers industry.

“I've been fighting tirelessly to ensure that the National Film Authority comes into existence. They are aware it involves a lot of processes so for them to picket at my office yesterday and make demands still baffles me,” she bemoaned.

The minister explained that there are only two positions left for the president and Council of State to appoint; adding that, the NFA board will be inaugurated immediately she receives the green light to do so.

“It is only two positions left for the President and the Council of State to appoint. We’ve submitted all necessary documents to the Council of State as required by law so that they also consider it and give it the green light. Once it gets that green light, we’re doing the inauguration.”

She finally pleaded with members of the NFA to exercise patience.

“They should be patient. For I’m the driving force here and I will do whatever I can to get their wish done by the end of the year (2019),” She assured.

Background

Hundreds of stakeholders and practitioners in the Film industry picketed around the premises of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture [MoTAC] on Tuesday, December 10, 2019, to press their demand for the establishment of the National Film Authority (NFA).

Key among the practioners were James Gardener, Oscar Provencal, Akofa Edjeani Asiedu and Ama K. Abebrese.

The picketers, said per the film bill which was passed into law in 2016, new structures such as the National Film Authority and its governing board, the Film Development Fund as well as the Film Classification Committee were expected to be created and their activities streamlined.

Award-winning British-Ghanaian actress, Ama K. Abebrese indicated that “For me as somebody in film making, it’s important that when the outside world even comes in to collaborate that we have our Act in place functioning so that we can also be key industry players.”