Building 2 Film Villages A Misplaced Priority – FOCAP

Federation Of Concerned Arts Professionals (FOCAP), has talked against government plan to build film village in the Ashanti Region and that of the Eastern Region. 

This comes after the Creative Arts Council assured, a Film Village would be built in the Ashanti Region in addition to what government intends to build in the Eastern Region.

A release signed by the president of the Creative Arts Council, Mark Okraku Mantey, stated the decision was taken after a feasibility study was done to see where the film village could be sited to benefit the industry.

“One of the villages will be sited in Kumasi to serve the Northern Sector from Ashanti Region, one to be sited in the Eastern region to serve the Southern Sector,” the statement read.

But FOCAP describes the idea as a lost one adding that ”It is not a wise judgement to have two film villages and at what cost.”

In a statement, the group states, ”It is very disheartening and sad to see our industry losing its feet when it comes to proper structures and directions as to how the industry can grow and become one of the most pivotal institutions within the economy of Ghana.”

Read Below The Full Statement: 

TWO FILM VILLAGES BY GOVERNMENT, MISPLACED PRIORITY – FOCAP

FOCAP has read both the petition from film makers in Ashanti Region and the response from the Interim Creative Arts Council. 

It is very disheartening and sad to see our industry losing its feet when it comes to proper structures and directions as to how the industry can grow and become one of the most pivotal institutions within the economy of Ghana. 

FOCAP is therefore worried about the knee jerk reaction by the Interim Creative Arts Council in response to the petition by the film makers to the Hon Rt. Speaker of Parliament.

FOCAP is asking :

1- When did Hon. Barbara Oteng Gyasi charge a team headed by the Deputy minister to do a feasibility study into where the creative arts film village could be sited without the knowledge of the film industry players.

2- The petition had stated that in the national budget read on the 15th of November 2018 the government indicated that they had identified and acquired 200 acres of land (cost unknown) to be used as a FILM VILLAGE NOT CREATIVE ARTS VILLAGE.

This means a decision had been taken already by government (Ministry Of Tourism Arts And Culture) to position the film village in the Eastern Region.

3- Until the petition yesterday by the Ashanti Region film makers, the industry wouldn’t have known a team was formed/mandated to execute a feasibility study. 

4- How many months, consultation, assessment were done with film industry players including the Ashanti Region film makers before a resolution was made .

5- The response from the interim creative arts council tells us the entire ministry does things in secrecy and at the blind side of industry players and therefore the repercussions are disastrous for the industry.

6- The Ashanti Region film makers have made it clear per the petition to parliament that they don’t believe and have faith in both the ministry and creative arts council and therefore have petitioned leadership in parliament.
FOCAP believes a proper solution should come from the ministry and not an interim council which is awaiting a bill to become an act to sit on important matters such as this .

FOCAP proposes 

1- A proper committee formed to look into the decision to have a film village in either Eastern region or Ashanti Region.