Accra, Feb. 20, GNA- Mr John Tia Akologu, Minister of Information, on Friday urged media professionals to promote the various local arts and cultures and remove the misconceptions peddled about the country. He said the country had a rich cultural heritage but there was a need to show it to the world by highlighting its true and soft image. Mr Akologu who was speaking at the Awards Night of the 2011 NAFTI Film Lecture on the Motion Picture Industry in Accra, said:

"The media is a great instrument to change the world perception about th= e Ghana and its people by promoting culture and arts of this culturally rich region" The event was held in honour of Kwaw Ansah, a Ghanaian award winning-playwright and to showcase his literary works and movie productions= .. It also provided a platform for academia, professionals and the public to share and exchange views on how to tackle challenges confronting the industry. Mr Akologu congratulated Kwaw Ansah for his contribution towards the growth and development of the Ghanaian film industry. He urged all young people in the movie industry to emulate the works of Kwaw Ansah.

Professor Linus Abraham, Rector of NAFTI, said the film and video industry was under massive criticism due to poor technical quality of films and poor story techniques with an emphasis on sexuality, violence and spirituality. He said these problems can be curbed through effective lectures to enhance the aesthetic, technical and story telling competence of the Ghanaian media.

He added that the division between old and new film-makers was preventing the development of the industry.

He therefore called on the two factions to come together to chart a common cause for the sake of the industry's development. Mr Chris Ashong, SRC President of NAFTI, said the current state of the movie industry was 93shaking" due to the non-existence of a legislation which has lead to production of mediocre film unidentical with Ghanaian culture. "In spite of the several sub standard productions, we are consoled b= y the fact that there are quite a number of Ghanaian films whose qualitative values are astounding", he said. He hoped the film bill would help preserve the nation's archival fil= m footage. Mrs Eleonore Sylla, Director of Goethe-Institute, said her outfit woul= d continue to support NAFTI to facilitate the development of film industry in the country.