Ghanaian actor, filmmaker, and businessman Fred Nuamah has disclosed that the film industry, despite generating over 250,000 jobs monthly, remains underfunded and overlooked. In an interview with Graphic Showbiz, Nuamah, the founder of the Ghana Movie Awards (GMA) and a politician, expressed frustration with the sector’s struggle to thrive despite high demand for its products.
Mr. Nuamah emphasized that the film industry, which employs over 500 people per production—including actors, editors, directors, and poster designers—requires substantial government and private investment. He pointed out that while sectors like music and sports receive substantial support, the film industry lacks essential distribution channels and infrastructure.
He stressed the importance of creating distribution channels, such as cinemas, to showcase Ghanaian films and unlock opportunities for job creation, revenue generation, and business growth. “The movie industry creates over 250,000 jobs a month, yet struggles due to inadequate distribution channels,” he said.
Mr. Nuamah proposed several measures to address these challenges, including providing soft loans to producers and transforming district office halls into mini cinemas operating from 6:00 pm to 2:00 am. This initiative could generate significant revenue and employment opportunities, with potential earnings of GH¢1.3 million per month across 260 districts if each district sells 500 tickets at GH¢100 each.
As the political season progresses, Mr. Nuamah is urging political parties to prioritize the film industry. He highlighted the disparity between the support given to musicians and footballers and the lack of facilities for film production. “Musicians have venues like the National Theatre and Accra International Conference Centre, and footballers have stadiums, but where are the cinemas for film producers?” he asked.
The actor calls for a collaborative effort between the government and private companies to provide necessary funding and support, aiming to foster growth and success in the film industry.
