NAFTI to champion national crusade for regeneration

Accra, May 18, GNA - Mr Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa, Deputy Minister of Information on Monday tasked management of National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) to champion national regeneration crusade for the attainment of a "Better Ghana," agenda of Government. "The issues of internet fraud - Sakawa, poor environmental sanitation, and other social vices that has bedeviled the Ghanaian society, need to be confronted through the power of cinematography. "NAFTI through their products must impact on society with educative national oriented, cultural focus films to change the psyche of the people towards development," Mr Okudzeto-Ablakwa stated during working visit to NAFTI.

Accompanied by Mr James Agyenim-Boateng also a Deputy Minister of Information during the working visit was to create a platform for NAFTI to serve as a conduit for revival of the film industry in the country. NAFTI was established in 1978 by Government as a public Institution of Higher Education in Film and Television Production with a campus spread over three studios in Accra. Since its inception in 1978, NAFTI has fostered professional and academic excellence in film and television education and consequently has drawn students from many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa including Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Mr Okudzeto-Ablakwa expressed concern about lack of coordinated film industry in the country, a situation which had lead to foreign film dominating the television screens and home theatres. He said: "Foreign films have different ideological and cultural persuasions, most of which is contrary to our values and norms as a nation but unfortunately we are exposing our children to these alien norms".

The Deputy Minister therefore tasked management of NAFTI to translate their academic accomplishment to reflect in the life of the people, "you should bring back 'Time with NAFTI,' to our screens again".

Mr Agyenim-Boateng urged management of NAFTI to use the film business to market the country, "create and market a positive and attractive production environment in the country for international film, commercial and stills productions. He appealed to them to encourage the development and distribution of local productions, increasing audiences for film product, encouraging the study of film.

Mr Agyenim-Boateng tasked the management to ensure development of "a career in the film industry by the younger generation" was accessible, achievable and sustainable. He said Government through the Ministry of Information would support the development of a broad crew base through appropriate training, support the development of small business entrepreneurship to build the film industry.

"We must also work together for the spread of economic benefits through tourism and related industry spin offs, promote the status of NAFTI as the link for film business related information within the State for a wide variety of audiences," he said. Mr Martin Loh, NAFTI Director blamed former management of Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) for the demise of "Time with NAFTI," on Ghana Television.

He said they frustrated the programme through "bad business proposal," which inhibited the institute from the programme. Mr Loh assured Government that the current management and NAFTI had reached agreement for the re-introduction of "Time With NAFTI" within the next few weeks.

On the development of NAFTI and its impact on national development, Mr Loh explained that graduates of the institute had been influential in shaping the film and television industry in Ghana and Africa. He said the Institute offered a three-year professional programme leading to the award of Diploma until 1999, when in affiliation with the management of University of Ghana, commenced full-time four-year professional Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in addition to two-year Diploma programme.

Mr Loh said the two-year Diploma programme was essentially intended for industry practitioners who wished to update their knowledge and skills.

"NAFTI has over the years also provided diverse collaborative technical support for projects within and outside the continent," he said. He said the Institute was a full member of the renowned International Association of Film and Television Academies and Universities (CILECT).

"As a pace-setter in film and television education in Sub-Saharan Africa, NAFTI is proud to become the first full member of this prestigious Association from the Region". Mr Loh said the training programme at NAFTI was designed to develop in the students scholarly, creative and professional approach to film making and television production.

He said the Institute recognised its unique role in the development and propagation of African culture and therefore encouraged students to develop their creative talents to be able to face the challenge of producing materials that reflected the spiritual and intellectual aspiration of Africans.

Mr Loh said management of NAFTI was determined to maintain and further establish a reputation for excellence in film and television education.

It also aimed to be a worldwide model for other regional institutions of higher education and thereby attract more funding and other forms of support.

Mr Loh briefed the Deputy Ministers on the main NAFTI Library with book stock of about 25,000 and film and television materials. The Library subscribes to 20 professional serials (periodicals, journals, magazines) and its collections also cover other branches of the arts which are related to the institute's core discipline of film and television.

Other facilities at the Institute includes a well-equipped television studio, film and video production equipment, computer animation facilities, still photo laboratory, viewing theatres.