The director of creative art at the ministry of tourism and creative art, Socrate Sarfo who is also a movie producer has stated that he is surprise about the demonstration by the Film producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG) in the Kumasi.
He emphasized stating that FIPAG should follow the Lay down procedures and laws in solving their grievances than to demonstrate.
FIPAG currently hit the street of Kumasi to register their displeasure at what they describe as the airing of too many foreign movies on television to the detriment of the local movie industry.
The film producers who are the brain behind this demonstration stated that the telenovelas have become extremely popular on Ghanaian television screens, hence the demonstration to speak against it.
According to Socrate Sarfo, there have been numerous discussions by FIPAG with the minister in charge and the deputy minister of communication. These meetings take place in other to find solution to all the concerns raised by the local film industry.
“The minister tasked them to make their input bear on the bill to be presented to parliament; I am surprise they moved to the streets. I know demonstrations are embarked on if only once grievances are not met. ”
“I don’t know what they want to achieve with this demonstration. I am a filmmaker I have invested in it and I still don’t know understand why they had the demonstration”
“I am on the same platform with FIPAG and was aware of this demonstration”
“It’s like they just want to be heard and have just decided to move through town to demonstrate”
“If anybody talks about losing, I think I will more, this is because my investment in the industry is far greater than most of the people who demonstrated” He stated.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s mid morning show with Adwumawura Yaw Nkrumah, Socrates made it clear that there are proper channels and procedures the Leadership of FIPAG can follow to make their grievances heard than to walk and send petitions across.
“All that they need to do is to get their acts right ,I have been advising them to take the right procedure in other to get the needed results but the leadership keeps ignoring so I will not support them in any way”
“We are not in a military rule but by law and I believe the movie industry should follow the law and the constitution” he concluded
Daniel Koranteng Kwagyiri | ahotoronline.com| Ghana
