Veteran actor, Abeiku Sagoe, has shut down accusations that it was wrong for a minor to take part in the committee voting process in choosing a brand name for Ghana’s film industry.
According to him, it was because the process was broadened to cover every stakeholder including children.
The National Film Authority (NFA) on Wednesday, December 8 announced ‘Black Star Films’ as the new name of the film industry, following a year-long process.
The change of name for the film industry, according to the Authority, is premised on the fact that having an identity as an industry is very important.
However, the new name has been greeted with several disapprovals from many stakeholders who didn’t take part in the voting process.
According to them, the name ‘Black Star Films’ bears a striking similarity to an award and film festival, ‘Black Star International Film Festival’ (BSIFF) founded by the National Film Authority’s Executive Secretary, Juliet Asante citing “conflict of interest.”
A group of stakeholders led by showbiz personality, George Quaye petitioned the Ministry of Tourism, Art & Culture over the new name.
It turned out that a 12-year-old poet, Nakeeyat Dramani, was one of the committee members who voted in the naming process.
Some persons have raised concerns about the decision to add a minor to the process.
But reacting on Hitz FM on Monday, Mr Sagoe, who is himself a committee member for the voting process, said he finds nothing wrong with the youngster taking part.
“We wanted ideas from all over, children, young people,” he noted.
When he was asked why young actors like Rahim Banda, Yaa Jackson etc were rather not part of the process, he said “Rahim is in the university, he is not a child.”
“Your problem is with the fact that a child is part of the process and I am saying that…your argument that it was wrong to have included a 12-year-old, that is what I am talking about,” he said.
