Idikoko is new FIPAG president

The Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG), has elected new executives in a low profile elections that was given little or no major media attention.

Interestingly, Augustine Abbey, popularly known as Idikoko, has been re-elected as the President of the Association after being ‘booted’ out in 2013 by the same members.

He takes over with his team made up of Mr. Daniel K. Sarfo, Vice President, Mr. Zachariah Abdulai, Secretary, Mr Eugene Moratt, Assist. Secretary and Mr. Ernest Atta Aboagye, Financial Secretary.

The rest are Mrs Alberta Hukporti, treasurer, Mrs Rosaline Osei, PRO with Mr. Bob Smith Jnr and Mr. Paul Adjei as executive members.

Idikoko’s first administration was fraught with varied issues relating to tyranny, lack of transparency, poor communication and improper accountability; which saw members vote him out of office three years ago.

In order not to experience the turmoil his first administration and others went through, here are some recommendations for him and his team to ensure a fruitful and incident-free tenure.

Unity

The first task of the new leadership is to unite all members of the group. In the last tenure, lack of understanding of issues, lack of transparency, poor communication and dabbling in politics -resulted in the formation of a splinter group.

There are many others who still have qualms with the newly-elected President due to his style of leadership during his first outing and have decided to steer clear off affairs of the Association.

The constant division within the group has always been repulsive to potential sponsors and partners who have taken their business elsewhere, where there’s tranquility and progress.

Recipe: Organise a mammoth meeting, involving all stakeholders and members of the Association.  The President must assure all of a new era with so much hope, promise and action, especially when he has a new team. 

Communication

One of the banes of associations or grouping within the creative industry is communication. Almost every member of the group is a spokesperson, and they always end up contradicting each other which culminates into lots of bickering. 

Secondly; ideals, policies and decisions are not readily and effectively communicated to members.  Many failed administrations relied on the media to disseminate information to their members instead of finding ways of making such relevant information accessible to their members first before hitting the media.

Recipe: Instill a lot of confidence and trust in the elected PRO.  She must be well-informed and abreast of all rudiments of the Association. 

She must have a strong supporting cast and must be the only official mouthpiece of the Association.

Transparency

Members of FIPAG are always up in arms over one issue or the other and one particular issue that has crippled successive administrations is the lack of transparency in the running of affairs of the Association.

Core issues bordering on the group are shrouded in some of secrecy and shared by just few members of the Executive. 

Agitated members are always trooping to the media to cause some form of pandemonium when they hear stuff outside the group, issues that could have easily been made apparent to them.

Recipe: You are working for the Association and its members. Make clear the business of the group to them every step of the way. 

Consult them before taking critical decisions for the group. As a new administration, it is expected that you introduce and implement strategies and mechanisms to aid your tenure; tell members about them and let them (members) express their opinion.

Accountability

In the first tenure of Idikoko, he was brutally accused of being a dictator who confiscated the accounts of the Association and run the accounts at his whims. He even fell out with some members of his executive, especially his Financial Secretary, who cried foul after virtually being made redundant.

That caused a lot of cracks in his team which spilled over into the entire membership, rendering his leadership very unpopular.

Recipe: Money solves problems but it is also the root of confusion. It is imperative that you tell members what you use their money for, how much you get from donors and how much is being shared, and the criteria utilised in sharing.

Media Not A Court

In FIPAG, there has always been that prevalence of disgruntled members always galloping from one media house to the other, to grouse about their grievances.  They end up smearing negativity on the Association, making it unattractive to observers and potential partners.

It is about time they realise that radio does get results but not always. Presenters and panelists deliberate on such misunderstandings and after all is said and done, instead of cracks being mended; they rather end up getting more entrenched.

Recipe: Issues will always arise. Find innovative and result-oriented channels where members can easily express their grievances.

SH

Email: arniebaidoo@yahoo.co.uk Twitter@ArnoldBaidoo