Ghana depends on Nigerian films

GHANA, with a large population in West Africa, depends to a large extent, on Nigeria for the supply of her home video needs even as Nigerians rate Nollywood productions low, criticising them of being bereft of depth and technical quality.

Nigerian films are freely sold at every street corner in Accra and other cities in the country which had the unpleasant experience of burying one of her very promising actresses, 23-year-old Suzzy Williams who died in an accident on September 8.

Ms. Williams, whose death in circumstances that are currently being investigated, shocked the entire West African nation. She was said to be travelling on the Accra-Tashie Road in company of her boyfriend who is now telling security operatives in Ghana all he knows about the accident that killed his heartthrob.

According to Deputy Minister for Interior, Mr. Nkrabeah Effah-Dartey, a retired soldier, lawyer and poet, who doubles as president of the Ghanaian Union of Actors Society, Nigerian films are very highly rated and indeed they are the first choice in Ghana.

In an interview in his office, after playing host to a delegation of visiting God?s Kingdom Society, GKS, on a missionary journey to Ghana where they celebrated this year?s Freedom Day at the Accra Polytechnic, the minister said his love for the entertainment industry is public knowledge in Ghana and he is not in a hurry to part ways with the industry.

"As a human being, I really don?t like sports as other people do. My field is the theatre, entertainment industry," he said, adding that he watches Nigerian films a lot and commended the Nigerian producers.

"I have watched Executive Crime over 30 times and I am not tired of watching that particular production," Mr. Effah-Dartey said, pointing out that the success of the Nigerian film industry is traceable to the stiff competition.

"When there is competition, there is bound to be a rise in the quality or else the producers will not sell," he acknowledged, hoping that the developing Ghanaian film industry will grow to the same level soon..