The President, Nana Akufo-Addo has assured filmmakers that the call on the government to consider the opening of cinemas in the wake of the COVID-19 restrictions, is under consideration.
He said during the media launch of the Presidential Film Pitch Series at the Movenpick Hotel in Accra on Wednesday, April 28, 2021, that the filmmakers would hear from the COVID-19 task force soon.
“I want to proclaim on a matter of great concern, that the opening of cinemas is under constant review of the COVID-19 task force. And hopefully, you’ll hear from the task force soon,” he said.
This comes months after filmmakers have petitioned the government to exempt the cinemas from the COVID-19 ban on venues.
According to them, the ban on cinemas from operating has affected their livelihood.
They 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 a 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.
‘Open the cinemas’ campaign
In October 2020, the National Film Authority – Action Group (NFA-AG), a pressure group largely made up of film industry stakeholder associations and guilds, called the government to immediately take action to lift restrictions on our cinemas in Ghana.
Presenting the petition to the Presidency through the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Barbara Oteng Gyasi on Wednesday, October 28, 2020, they said: “This is to enable the film industry to kickstart its process of recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic in line with many other sectors.”
According to them, a similar plea was made to the ministry on 4th August 2020 but they did not receive any response.
They also stated in the letter that they 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.
The group proposed an online booking system that will allow the cinemas and filmmakers to easily track and trace their customers, taking into consideration measures outlined by the cinema operators and submitted to the Ghana Tourism Board for consideration.
Yvonne Nelson, Kofi Asamoah, others join campaign
After film producer Peter Sedufia championed this campaign last year, a lot more celebrities added their voice to it, after the President announced that the cinemas would remain closed when he announced the re-imposition of a number of restriction earlier this year on the back of a ‘second wave of the pandemic.
The latest filmmakers to amplify the call are actress Yvonne Nelson and Kofi Asamoah.
Known for leading the #dumsormuststop campaign on May 16, 2015, against the erratic power supply in Ghana, Yvonne Nelson has kept the top relevant with artwork and a hashtag to that effect.
