The Chief Executive Officer of the National Film Authority (NFA), Kafui Danku, and the Minister of Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovation, Sam George, have promised to step in to help Nigerian producer and actress Bimbo Ademoye over unauthorized broadcasts of her movies on Ghanaian TV stations.
This comes after Bimbo Ademoye shared her frustrations on Instagram, tagging the officials to intervene.
George has acknowledged Bimbo Ademoye’s concerns, stating that he will engage with his colleague in charge of TV content to address the unauthorized broadcast of her movies.
He assured that the government is committed to upholding intellectual property laws in Ghana.
“My attention has been drawn to your post, thanks to the tag. I would be raising the issue with my colleague minister responsible for overseeing television content.
“I, however, wish to assure you that our government is very respectful of intellectual property rights and would ensure the protection of same. I believe Ghana and Nigeria have so much we can continue to collaborate on for our mutual benefit,” he wrote.
Kafui Danku chimed in, assuring Bimbo Ademoye that urgent action is being taken to address the copyright infringement issue.
“Hi ma’am, my management and I are working on putting a stop to this. You should see definite actions in a couple of weeks,” she noted.
This is not the first time a Nigerian creative has raised concerns about Ghanaian television stations showing their movies without a license. (Related article: Nollywood actress Omoni Oboli calls out Ghanaian TV stations for airing her films without a license)
In September 2023, popular Nollywood actress and filmmaker Ruth Kadiri issued a stern warning to Ghanaian television stations airing her content without proper authorization.
The renowned actress also announced her intentions to pursue legal action against offenders.
Last month, renowned Nigerian actress Omoni Oboli took to social media to express her outrage and disappointment at Ghanaian TV stations for broadcasting her movies without obtaining the necessary legal permission.
In a strongly-worded post on her Instagram page, Oboli condemned the unauthorized airing of her films and criticized the Ghana National Film Authority for its inaction in addressing the issue.
Bimbo Ademoye’s outburst has opened up the conversation on copyright issues, with the likes of Ghanaian actress Juliet Ibrahim also sharing their opinions over the unfortunate trend.