Actors,producers abandoned 'dumsor' demo for visa - FIPAG alleges

Film Producers Association of Ghana (FiPAG) is alleging that some of its members were induced not to join a protest march against government handling of the energy crisis held last Thursday.

PRO of FIPAG Ola Michael told Joy FM’s Rythmz A-Z Saturday that some members after the protest revealed that they were promised visas, monies and some perks.

“We had calls from some of these same known faces telling us what really went down, that some of them had been threatened not to be there, some of them were promised visas to travel with some entourages to foreign countries”, Ola Michael alleged.

The demonstration in Kumasi for all players in the movie industry was expected to attract members of the Ghana Actors Guild (GAG), members of the Creative Arts For Change and some popular actors, movie and stage directors, scriptwriters, editors, producers, makeup artists, soundtrack singers & producers, retailers, marketers, and distributors among others.

A heavy downpour almost destroyed the demonstration which ended at the Jubilee Park in Kumasi.

But the organizers were displeased that some “known faces” and big names in the Kumasi movie industry “refused to show up” although they had been invited for the demonstration.

Ola Michael is at a loss as to “who has so much money to buy off people not to demonstrate when it is their civic rights”.

He alleged that two of their members, he would not name, who abstained from the demonstration got paid by some unknown forces after the Thursday event.

They believe government had worked to undermine the demonstration. Ola Michael would not mention names. He said he received two calls from some persons claiming to be in government who tried to discourage him from organizing the march.

FiPAG had warned Mr Nii Odoi Mensah and Mr Akwaetey Kanyi, both of Audio-Visual Rights Owners Association of Ghana (ARSOG) to desist from calling members not to participate or endorse the demo.

Executives of FiPAG says they will be meeting to look into punitive measure to take against 'greedy' members. Ola Michael says some producers could blacklist them and ensure they do not feature in their movies.

"They have decided to dissociate themselves from these actors because they don't see the need to work with them", Ola Michael said.