Members of the arts and entertainment industry are up in arms over a comment made by First Deputy Minority, Whip Habib Iddrisu about the movie industry during John Dumelo's vetting for Deputy Minister-designate for Food and Agriculture.
On Tuesday, February 25, 2025, Habib Iddrisu advised Dumelo to take his political career seriously, noting that his new role was far different from his work in the movie industry.
In his words, “If you go to the Ministry, try to assist your Minister. The Ministry is huge, and you should not try to jump the gun. And also note that when you go to the Ministry, you are not in your movie industry as you are. Try to be as serious as you can so that you can be able to assist your Minister to succeed”.
However, his remark seem to have irked creative players, who are demanding for an apology to correct the long held perception of the sector being a recruit for unserious and less intelligent people.
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In a press statement signed by Richard Yaw Boateng, National President of Film Directors Guild of Ghana (FDGG) today, it expressed outrage and disappointment over the comment, describing it as "reckless" and "unfortunate."
In a strongly-worded statement, the guild condemned Habib Iddrisu's remark, made during the vetting of John Dumelo, as a "slap in the face" to the entire film industry.
The guild argued that the comment betrays a lack of understanding of the film industry in Ghana and globally.
“We don't want to believe that the film or movie industry in Ghana is not getting the developmental attention and investment that it deserves from the government of Ghana because of uneducated politicians like him in the house of the Parliament of Ghana.
“We, the stakeholders of the Ghana movie industry, are so disappointed in him, in his reckless statement and in any politician who agrees with.
“In the light of the above, we, therefore, demand a retraction of this reckless statement and an unqualified apology from the Honourable Deputy Minority Whip of Ghana's Parliament, Hon. Habib Iddrisu, for his disrespectful and reckless statement to Hon. John Dumelo and the entire movie industry in Ghana,” part of the statement reads.
See the press release below:
Some reactions on social media:
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