Ghana to Sanction TV Stations Airing Nigerian Films Illegally

The Ghanaian government, through James Gardin, Deputy CEO of the Ghana National Film Authority (NFA), announced plans to crack down on television stations that broadcast Nigerian films without proper authorization. This announcement was made during a video conversation with Nigerian producer Uchenna Mbunabo, who accused Ghanaian TV stations of downloading Nollywood movies from YouTube and airing them without permission.

Mbunabo expressed concern over the unauthorized use of films, stating that it undermines the efforts of filmmakers. Gardin responded by emphasizing that the actions of these stations are not legal and indicated that the government is working to address the issue.

He mentioned that discussions have taken place with relevant ministries and that there are plans to revoke licenses of non-compliant TV stations, with new applications required thereafter. The timeline for these actions is projected for completion by 2027.

Notably, Nigerian filmmakers, including Bimbo Ademoye, Omoni Oboli, Mercy Johnson, and Ruth Kadiri, have previously raised concerns about the illegal airing of their films in Ghana.