The National Film Authority – Action Group (NFA-AG), a Creative Arts industry pressure group largely made up of film industry stakeholder associations and guilds have petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to lift the restrictions on cinemas in Ghana.
The Group in a petition signed by its conveyer, Cosby Bikpe stated that the reopening of cinemas in the country will enable the film industry to kickstart its process of recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic in line with many other sectors.
They also outlined the measures putting in place to curb the spread of the disease when cinemas are allowed to operate.
NFA-AG argued that it will be imperative for their request to be given an ear since restrictions on a number of indoor/enclosed sectors where large groups gather such as Churches, Mosques, Conferences, Award shows and drinking bars have been lifted.
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“We have carefully evaluated the potential spread of the virus at our cinemas and the attached risk assessment shows the residual rating as safe for reopening. We propose an online booking system which will allow us to track and trace our customers easily. Further to our own proposal, we have taken notice of the measures outlined by the cinema operators and submitted to the Ghana Tourism Board for consideration – a copy attached.
“Our petition comes at this good time, especially after His Excellency, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has lifted restrictions on a number of indoor/enclosed sectors where large groups gather such as Churches, Mosques, Conferences, Award shows and drinking bars. In addition, passenger buses have been allowed to operate at full capacity while travelling to further destinations. We believe the above sectors’ modes of operation are similar, if not same or worse than the cinemas. We gathered that, while enclosed space events such as Churches, Conferences, Award shows and their likes can admit a minimum of 500 and a maximum of 2,000 people or more per hall, the cinema hall has maximum capacity of 300 seats. And with the 300-seating capacity, the cinema operators are willing to do only 50% per show, so as to enforce the social distancing directive. We are of a strong view that people can wear their nose masks from home, go to watch movies at the cinemas and return home without taking off the nose masks at any point,” part of the statement read.
Read the full statement below.
RE – A PETITION TO THE HONOURABLE MINISTER FOR THE REOPENING OF OUR CINEMAS.
The National Film Authority – Action Group (NFA-AG), a Creative Arts industry pressure group largely made up of film industry stakeholder associations and guilds is calling on the Presidency through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to immediately take action to lift restrictions on our cinemas in Ghana. This is to enable the film industry to kickstart its process of recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic in line with many other sectors. It will be recalled that this letter was presented to your ministry on 4th August, 2020, without any response, nor an acknowledgement of receipt from your outfit. Although we find this inappropriate, we would like to reserve our misgivings with all benefits of the doubt on any deliberate neglect of our petition.
We have carefully evaluated the potential spread of the virus at our cinemas and the attached risk assessment shows the residual rating as safe for reopening. We propose an online booking system which will allow us to track and trace our customers easily. Further to our own proposal, we have taken notice of the measures outlined by the cinema operators and submitted to the Ghana Tourism Board for consideration – a copy attached.
Our petition comes at this good time, especially after His Excellency, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has lifted restrictions on a number of indoor/enclosed sectors where large groups gather such as Churches, Mosques, Conferences, Award shows and drinking bars. In addition, passenger buses have been allowed to operate at full capacity while travelling to further destinations.
We believe the above sectors’ modes of operation are similar, if not same or worse than the cinemas. We gathered that, while enclosed space events such as Churches, Conferences, Award shows and their likes can admit a minimum of 500 and a maximum of 2,000 people or more per hall, the cinema hall has maximum capacity of 300 seats. And with the 300-seating capacity, the cinema operators are willing to do only 50% per show, so as to enforce the social distancing directive.
We are of a strong view that people can wear their nose masks from home, go to watch movies at the cinemas and return home without taking off the nose masks at any point. Whereas people who patronize drinking bars would have to take off their nose masks before drinking, which we find as a higher risk compared to activities in the cinemas.
It is our request that, if all these sectors are open to the public, cinemas must open too.
We as stakeholders will put in efforts and make it our utmost goal to inform and educate filmmakers and cinemas goers on the risks and how to minimise them at every opportunity.
The NFA-AG hereby, presents this petition to Honourable Barbara Oteng Gyasi, MP. to advise the government on the above subjects for cinemas to be allowed to operate
alongside the COVID-19 safety protocols, as stated in the attached Risk Assessment by the NFA-AG.
God Bless Ghana Film Industry.
God Bless Ghana.
Yours in Service,
Ps. Cosby Bikpe (Ghana Academy of Film & Television Arts – GAFTA – 0244638508)
Convenor (NFA – Action Group)
Other Members
Ken Fiati (Ghana Actors Guild – GAG)
Kwasi Antwi Bosiako (Film Crew Association of Ghana – FICAG- 0552711321)
Kojo Preko Dankwa (Federation of Concerned Arts Professionals – FOCAP)
Peter Sedufia (Ghana Academy of Film & Television Arts – GAFTA – 0266489614)
Samuel Gyandoh (Film Crew Association of Ghana – FICAG)
Fisher Fiscian (Screen Actors Guild -SAG)
George Bosompim (Ghana Academy of Film & Television Arts – GAFTA)
Akofa Edjeane (Women In Performing Arts – WIPA)
Haruna Zoree (Film Directors Guild of Ghana – FDDG)
