The National Film Authority (NFA) is yet to receive the GH¢20 million grant announced by President Mahama for the creative sector, deputy executive secretary James Gardiner has confirmed.

He, however, outlined ambitious plans for how the funds will be deployed once they arrive.

Gardiner made the disclosure in an interview with GhanaWeb's Isaac Dadzie on the TGMA red carpet on May 9, 2026, where he spoke enthusiastically about the transformative potential of the presidential grant for Ghana's film industry.

"There's a lot that the president has done for us by giving us the grant, the GH¢20 million. We're going to use that to plug into the industry, have capacity-building engagements like workshops, masterclasses and also support producers who don't have funding to make the kind of quality movies that I'm sure even the president will be proud of as well," he said.

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However, when pressed on whether the NFA had actually received the funds, Gardiner was candid.

"No, not yet. When it comes, I'll let you know," he responded.

His revlation raises questions about the timeline for the disbursement of the much-anticipated grant, which has been viewed across the creative sector as a potential game-changer for Ghanaian film production.

Industry players have long called for structured government funding to help local producers compete at an international level.

Watch the video below:

@theghanaweb James Gardiner updates us on the 20 million allocation for the movie industry. #GhanaWeb #GhanaWebTV #TGMA27 ♬ original sound - GhanaWeb