“Ghana’s relationship with Nigeria began on a sour note in the early period of PNDC era. Any elected government in Ghana or Nigeria made sure they strengthened the relationship between both countries in all sectors”, that was a statement made by the chairman of the Film Video producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (FVPRMAN).

Mr. Nobert Adegbu when the film producers of Ghana represented by the film distributors decided to pay a visit to the Film Video producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria(FVPRMAN) last week.

He continued that, there had been several reports from their compatriots in Ghana that, the Ghanaian film producers are not allowing them to release Nigerian films in Ghana. The president also made a statement that lots of Ghanaian films producers owe Nollywood and that they will soon publish the list of these indebted producers since for so many years they haven’t made any attempt to pay their debt.

Together with his members, he expressed his displeasure on why Ghanaian film producers bill the Nigerians when they come to shoot their movies and star in Ghanaian films.

Talking about the rate at which Nollywood movies are being shown on some Ghanaian channels, he revealed that, many Ghanaian TV stations have been stealing their movies and showing them on their networks.

He categorically mentioned Cine-Afrik as one station which will incur their wrath soon for showing thousands of Nigerian films without asking for permissions from the rightful owners in Nigeria. He cleared the notion that Nollywood hasn’t banned Ghanaian films in Nigeria and that even when things get serious, the only thing they can do is to sideline or ask their members not to deal with Ghanaian film makers.

He asked Ghanaian film makers to represent Nollywood in Ghana and protect their interest so they can also protect the interest of Ghana movies in Nigeria. He also thanked the Ghanaian delegates for taking the step and showing the interest in deeping the collaboration between Ghana and Nigeria and also taking a positive peace step to meet them.

After the film distributors Association of Ghana were giving the opportunity to respond to some concerns raised by the film producers of Nigeria, their president Mustapha Adams, said it was not true that they have sidelined the release of Nigerian films in Ghana, and gave evidence of Nigerian movies that had been released from the period of February to September with the names of the owners of the movie in Nigeria and their direct contacts.

He explained to them that apart from January that they didn’t release any movie and made it a free market date, from February to September Nigerian movies have been released onto the market.

He cleared the notion that the Ghanaian film industry doesn’t bill Nigerian artistes or Nigerian producers before they shoot in Ghana, but rather it got to a time that the Nigerian film makers went on set and didn’t pay hotel bills, crew members and some of the props they used in making movies, later, the Ghanaian film producers had to pay for the bills on their behalf.

So they came out with a policy that, Nigeria film makers should pay a bill before shooting in Ghana so after their shoot they can come back for their money.

Mustapha Adams who could not comment on the Cine-Afrik saga which seems to be the unfathomable law issue on the heart of the Nigerian film makers told them that, he and his team would investigate into the issue when they get to Ghana.