COVID-19: Mercy Asiedu raises concern over closure of cinemas when churches are opened

Actress Mercy Asiedu has underscored the need for government’s intervention in the movie industry, including a call on the powers that be to reopen the cinemas.

The 50-year-old actress is of the view that the closure of cinemas, which forms part of the government’s effort to curb the spread of COVID-19, has had a negative impact on the movie industry as the income of moviemakers has been affected.

In an interview with Graphic Showbiz, Mercy Asiedu suggested that if the restrictions on churches have been overturned, it was imperative for the government to do same for the cinemas.

“These days, we don’t do movie premieres because of the coronavirus pandemic but people go to church, don’t they? We should take another look at some of these things and the government should intervene to make the industry bounce back,” she stated.

After a year of closing cinemas, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in his 25th address to the country on measures his government is taking to fight the pandemic said cinema owners and operators had been engaged on a set of protocols and guidelines that need to be put in place and implemented. The cinemas, he indicated, would be opened after the conditions are met.

“In the coming weeks, the Ghana Health Service and the Ghana Tourism Authority will be announcing these protocols and mandatory modalities, and work with the operators on a set of directives that will ensure the health and safety of all patrons and staff in all the facilities involved,” he announced.