French Govt pumps money into film development

Accra, Nov. 10, GNA - The effort of the Government to resource educational institutions to enhance the building up of active human resource base for the economic take-off had received massive boost with injection of capital by French Government into the film development. The French Government, through its local embassy in Accra, had over the last year supported the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) with funds and equipment to resuscitate and upgrade the institute to compete favourably with other film and television training centres.

France has been organising a series of workshops, including film critique symposium for NAFTI students, financed the establishment of film dubbing studio, provided editing equipment and cameras, supported the celebration of animation festivals and gave sponsorship to students to attend other seminars across the continent.

Mr Martin Loh, NAFTI Director stated at the seventh Matriculation ceremony of 30 students of the Institute in Accra.

The Director commended the French Government's effort to promote the development of film and television development in Africa and challenged staff and students of the institute to reciprocate the gesture through improved production on Ghanaian screens.

He however, expressed disquiet about the physical expansion of the institute's studio complex, which according to Mr Loh, had been hampered by non-availability of funds over the last 28 years.

He said; "the project which commenced 28 years ago stands out there sleeping, while we scramble for space for teaching, accommodating staff and other academic facilities...no work has been done on it since 1998.=94

"Funds approved each year in the Institute's Ghana Government budget support have not been adequate enough to even pay for bringing the contractors back to the site to start work."

Mr Loh, therefore called on the GETFund board to assist in completing the complex as NAFTI has assume the citadel of African film and television development.

On the upgrading of the Institute from a diploma to a degree awarding Institution, the NAFTI Director commended authorities of the University of Ghana, who facilitated the process.

"It's been a long and difficult journey...from a diploma awarding institution to degree level, we are grateful to the University of Ghana for giving us the opportunity to take this great step and for continuing

to assist us to build NAFTI into the most respected film school in the sub-saharan Africa and indeed, one of the respected schools in the world," he said.

He said the seventh matriculation for the degree programme confirms that the Institute had made steady progress with teaching at a higher level.

He said the Institute had embarked on collaborative programmes with other tertiary Institutions both foreign and local to enhance teaching and learning, improve upon the type, content and quality of examination questions that would best suit the specific needs of NAFTI. He explained that film education at a higher level was quite new in Africa and it was therefore not easy to recruit qualified staff to back-up the ageing ones.

Professor Clifford Nii Boi Tagoe, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana called on Africans to use film and television to project the rich culture of Africa to the world. This would enable the continent to assert and gain a respectable place at the world stage. He explained that Africans ought to determine their own plans and organize their economies to fight for a respectable share of the world market.

He deplored the continuous dependence of African Governments on foreign donor countries for help, it makes Africans subservient to other people's interest stressing "in today's global village, nations must rise and assert themselves, determine their own goals, plan and organise their economies in order to fight for a respectable share of the world market.

"We cannot do this if we were to continue to wait for help from others outside our continent...I wish therefore to challenge you students as well as graduates of NAFTI to use film and television to restore self confidence in the African, and awaken the spirit of pride and sense of nationalism, especially in the youth, to enable Africa rise and take its deserved place in the global village."

Prof. Tagoe said Africa has rich culture and traditions and exceptional values, "let us exploit them to our advantage.=94 The Vice Chancellor said African countries should depend on own creativity and entrepreneurship to create wealth and improve the quality of life of the people.

He also urged educational institutions not to concentrate only on improving teaching and learning but also to initiate plans, which would place their products in a meaningful employment after school. Mrs. Wilhemina Asmoah, (note ED name is correct) Deputy Registrar, Scholarship Secretariat who chaired the ceremony tasked students and staff to enhance their career. She said over the years the Government of Ghana, through the Scholarship Secretariat had trained students in various levels and fields, stressing one of the most important scholarships had been the training of lecturers from the various tertiary institutions for postgraduate programmes abroad. Mrs Asmoah said the Ohio University and the GETFund Board had signed a memorandum of understanding to train Broadcasting professionals over a period. She tasked the students to take advantage of the enormous challenges and opportunities at the Institute to ensure that they graduated fully prepared, sharpened and skilled to take up greater tasks in film production. The Registrar of the University of Ghana, Mr Seth Kornu administered the matriculation oath. 10 Nov. 06