Pressure is mounting on Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey to apologise to stakeholders in the film industry for denigrating them.

The outgoing Member of Parliament for Anyaa Sowutuom constituency was captured on camera by YEN news to have said Parliament is a place of serious business and not a place for movie actors.

“Parliament is for serious minded people and not people who have done some movies and think they are popular.”

“It is a serious place, I will tell him; the laws of the country are enacted in parliament. If our President can continue his job very well, he needs Lydia Alhassan in Parliament to do the job so that all you need as a constituency will be easily given to you.”

She, therefore, urged the people of Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency to choose Lydia Alhassan over John Dumelo.

Her statement did not sit well with most stakeholders in the creative arts space.

“The comments made by the well-respected minister was unhelpful, and we hope that we can address those and move on and make sure that no politician will ever make such needless statement about the art profession,” one filmmaker said.

“Unintelligent talk from a whole minister who should know better. President Ronald Reagan, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, President Donald Trump were all actors. Nonsense.”

“By their utterances, you would know how learned but ignorant they are."

Another said: “This is an unfortunate and nonsensical statement from the Minister of State. Samini, actor Prince David Osei, Socrate Safo, Agya Koo, Matilda Asare, and the rest listen because you’re all artistes/actors."