President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will tomorrow inaugurate a Board of directors for the National Film Authority.
Tourism Minister, Barbara Gyasi, made this known this morning at a meeting with the press. According to her, the inauguration will pave way for the fleshing of concerted programs for Ghana’s Film Industry.
She said funding will also be secured for the Board to take off immediately after tomorrow’s inauguration.
The announcement has since been received with gladness by filmmakers across the country who have recently been clamouring for a Board for the Authority.
Just last week, a coalition of filmmakers picketed at the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture to demand the constitution of the Board for the Film Authority.
A Bill establishing the Authority was passed into law by the erstwhile Mahama Government but constituting a Board and getting the Authority to swing into action has remained on the drawing board for three years, annoying filmmakers into a series of protests.
Meanwhile, the Tourism Ministry reports that the Year of Return activities has been very profitable for Ghana even though an exact figure is not readily available.
Speculatively, it has been claimed that some US$1.9billion has accrued to the country so far.
The sector Minister also said some 750,000 visas have been issued and that it is expected that up to 1 million visas will be issued by the end of December.
In July, the Government slashed the cost of visa fees to Ghana from US$150 to US$75 to stimulate more visits from the diaspora in the so-called Year of Return.