The years in focus have witnessed an increasing rate of profanity and immorality in Ghanaian movies and music production which has flooded the markets with grace.
Worried about the trend, some movie producers have publicly spoken against it and one of such is the Chief executive Officer of Bandex Movie and Music Production, Ahmed Banda known in the entertainment circles as Bandex. Bandex is criticizing his colleague movie producers for the increased nakedness in their productions.
He said pornography is gradually taking over the Ghanaian movie industry because it is the belief of some of the producers that it sells. He however refuted suggestions that the sale of movies depends on the story line and the professionalism of the director.
Mr. Banda blamed the ineffectiveness of the Ghana Cinematography Control Board for showing little signs of seriousness to combat the pornography that is creeping into the Ghanaian movie industry.
On the other side of the table, Chief Executive Officer of Movie Africa Productions and the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Movie Makers Association, Socrates Sarfo has a different opinion on the debate.
Mr. Sarfo argued that such productions are released for adults to strengthen their intimacy and not for the underaged. He agreed with Bandex that there is no connection between nudity and the sale of movies. He stated that under a democratic dispensation like Ghana, people should be allowed to express themselves in diverse means to enhance the industry.
He intimated that the latest trend that is gradually engulfing the industry should call for a national concern. The re-constituted Cinematograph Control Board, which has the Information Minister as its Chairman, is tasked with the responsibility of controlling indecent, pornographic, violent, morally and culturally unacceptable films often shown on screens, public cinema and video theatres.
But contrary to their responsibilities much is left to be desired as head of the Film Desk at the Ministry of Information and a member of the Control Board, B.M Imoro mentioned lack of resources, and inadequate human resource capacity to facilitate supervision and policing of bad products on the market.
He cautioned producers of audio visual materials and television companies of the need to ensure that public sensibilities are not offended, noting that such offensive acts are punishable under the laws of Ghana.
Meanwhile, a new film bill is soon to be passed to empower the Board to have adequate legal power to do its work.
