Michael Ola
Film Producer and former Public Relations Officer of the Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG), Michael Ola has stated that he has regretted his decision to risk his career for politics.
Ola who campaigned vigorously for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) prior to the 2016 elections, speaking as a panel member on Peace FM’s “Entertainment Review” program on Saturday February 11, 2017 said he thinks it is not worth it for anybody in the creative arts industry to meddled into political campaign.
According to Ola he is very disappointed with how the Parliamentary Appointment Committee which consists of Members of Parliament from both the majority and the minority side, on how they handled the vetting of Minister designate for Tourism Culture & Creative Arts – Hon. Catherine Afeku.
“Some of us who went into politics with a good heart and not for our selfish gains but with the intentions of drawing the politician’s attention to the creative industry, are very disappointed especially with the minority MPs on the Appointment Committee. It looks as if they didn’t do any research whatsoever, on the creative arts sector”.
Rating the entire vetting of Madam Catharine Afeku, Ola said about 85% of the questions the committee members asked was on tourism, 9% on culture and 6% on creative arts, which means that they are less interested in the other sectors of the ministry.
“It mean we don’t even matter to them and I don’t even know why next time we would abandon our careers and follow them because there is no respect for us”.
Ola also couldn’t phantom why none of the members of the appointment committee made reference to the NPP manifesto to ask questions based on their manifesto promises.
“If for nothing at all, NPP has a manifesto in which they have stated their plans for the creative arts. So even if they didn’t do any research, nobody saw the need to use to the manifesto to ask question?”, Ola questioned.
“So going forward, if any creative arts person decides to endorse any political party, the person must think twice. When you are going in, don’t be a fool like I have been. Charge, take money before you even campaign for them because they don’t care about us and I am talking about both NDC and NPP”.
“For me Ola Michael, I want to stated that I have been very foolish for supporting NDC and I am disappointed in the minority who are supposed to ask intelligent questions to improve the creative arts sector, they were rather thinking about food. For me, I think I have been foolish. I have been foolish based on their actions on the committee. I have been a fool for not demanding money, car or a house before risking my career. I have been a fool for not charging before I drove week in and week out to the Ashanti region and Western region to go and campaign”.
