Movie production creates 250,000 jobs monthly – Fred Nuamah
GHANAIAN actor, filmmaker and businessman, Fred Nuamah, has revealed that despite being the creative industry's largest employer, generating over 250,000 jobs monthly, the film sector remains neglected and lacks essential government and private investment.
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He mentioned that over the years, players in the movie industry have had to deal with a barrage of challenges because of lack of support when other sectors such as music and sports continue to thrive.
In an interview with Graphic Showbiz, Fred Nuamah, founder of Ghana Movie Awards (GMA) who is also a politician expressed his disappointment that the film industry was struggling to stay afloat despite the high demand for its products.
He emphasised that it was crucial for government and private investors to recognise the vast potential of the film industry and invest in creating distribution channels, such as cinemas, to showcase Ghanaian films.
This, he believes, would unlock a wealth of opportunities, including job creation, revenue generation and business growth.
“The movie industry is the only sector that employs more than 500 people in a single production. Apart from actors, editors, directors, and poster designers, it's a chain of employment that directly and indirectly benefits over 500 people.”
“Let it be on record that before the start of any business, the first thing to think about is demand for the product before capital. This is because you need to see that you are serving a need or demand before you invest in the business.”
“It is very evident that the demand for film is high but the challenge is the distribution channels to get the product to customers. There are no available means to sell the product and that is why the sector is struggling even when the records are there to show that the film industry creates over 250,000 jobs a month,” he said.
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He urged government to provide soft loans to producers and establish distribution channels for Ghanaian movies.
Additionally, Nuamah proposed transforming district office halls into mini cinemas, after working hours, operating from 6:00 pm to 2:00 am, to showcase Ghanaian films.
This initiative would not only create a profitable business opportunity but also generate employment for numerous individuals.
“If we can sell an average of 500 tickets at GHc100 per a ticket per district, that's GH¢5,000 per district. And with 260 districts, we are talking about GH¢1.3 million here. This is how we can create 250,000 jobs every month through movie production,” he explained. (Related articles: Fred Nuamah withdraws from NDC Parliamentary Primary, throws support behind John Dumelo, Fred Nuamah on why he withdrew from NDC Ayawaso West Wuogon race, I am still a politician —Fred Nuamah)
With the political season gaining momentum, Fred Nuamah is making a passionate plea to the political parties to give the film industry top priority.
He believes recognising the industry's potential and providing the necessary support will yield significant benefits for the country.
“At the moment, musicians have places such as the National Theatre, Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) and other places to play their shows. There are also stadiums for footballers to play their matches. Where are the cinemas for film producers to show their films. This is the biggest challenge that needs a solution,” he stated.
Fred Nuamah entreated government to work with private companies to provide funding and support for the movie industry since such partnership could help the industry grow and succeed.