Actor Papa Kumasi has disclosed that the reconstruction of Kumasi Kejetia and power failure experienced in Ghana some years ago contributed to the downfall of the Kumawood movie industry.
According to Papa Kumasi, though dumsor is part of causes for the failing local movie, the reconstruction of Kumasi Kejetia is the major cause of the industry’s downfall.
It would be recalled that, in 2015, government moved traders and commercial drivers from Kumasi Kejetia to pave way for the reconstruction of first phase of the market.
Speaking on Kumasi-based Angel FM Drive Time hosted by Ike De Unpredictable monitored by MyNewsGh.com, Papa Kumasi said the reconstruction of the Kejetia market greatly contributed to the downfall of the local movie Industry as it affected the chunk of their sales.
According to him “our customers couldn’t locate the marketers after the reconstruction of the Kejetia project”.
“Kumawood directors, producers and marketers project Kejetia as their marketing place in Kumasi so all our customers before the reconstruction were able to locate us and buy our movies but after the reconstruction, they were not able to locate us when they want to buy our movies” Papa Kumasi said.
“Though dumsor also affected us seriously but reconstruction of the Kejetia brought a bridge between marketers and customers. Majority of our targeted customers were not in Kumasi so it wasn’t easy for them to even come and buy our movies when the place was demolished”.
Papa Kumasi added that “the downfall of the local movie industry doesn’t mean the industry has collapsed”.
He said “some producers are still on location shooting movies so Kumawood Movie industry has not collapsed. I was on set when you called me. My colleagues and I have been on set several times”.
“The fact is, now it is difficult to get people to buy movies as it was but the trend has changed which escaped majority of our local directors and producers but now I can boldly say we are on the right path”. He pointed out.