Leadership of the Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG) have launched an all out attack on non-Ghanaians who make films in the country without having a work permit, a permit from the Ghana Actors Guild and a permit from FIPAG.
This campaign, according to the Public Relations Officer for FIPAG, Michael Kwaku Ola, was meant to protect the Ghanaian movie producers and the industry as a whole and not scare off foreigners.
“People have in the past sneaked in and out of the country to shoot movies and documentaries among others without any work permit or permission from FIPAG. Well guess what, things have changed now. FIPAG, together with the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) will make sure that the right thing is done,” Michael Kwaku Ola told NEWS-ONE.
It could be recalled that Nigerian comic actor, Osita Iheme who is popularly known as ‘Popo’ was prevented from shooting a movie in Kumasi by some officials of Ghana Actors Guild (GAG) and FIPAG because he did not have a work permit. The production was put on hold until Popo got the necessary work permit.
“I hear people saying that what we are doing will prevent foreigners from coming into the country for their filmmaking project but that is not true. We are rather encouraging them to follow right procedure,” FIPAG PRO stated.
He added that the association has been receiving complaints from some hotels in Ghana that some people who parade themselves as FIPAG members have used their facilities to shoot movies and left without paying.
“Sometimes even the Ghanaian crew is not paid by the foreigners who run off after the production. We feel very sad when we hear such complaints and we are doing everything possible to avert such incidences in future,” Kwaku Ola said.
The association is reported to have men on the ground who would inform FIPAG and GIS should any foreigner attempt to shoot a movie or documentary without a work permit.
