<<Print>>

The president of Ghana Actors Guild- Ashanti Regional Branch, Bill Asamoah has expressed his frustration and anger on efforts being made by the Founder of Ghana Movie Awards, Fred Numah to gradually erode the integrity of Kumawood actors/actress and denting their image. It will be recalled that organizers of Ghana Movies Awards GMA promised the media in 2011 that they had a memorandum of understanding with the organizers of the deluxe internationally acclaimed Cannes film festival in France; so annually they shall take some winners of the award scheme to the said festival. In the year 2012, organizers of the award scheme issued a press release headline: �Final List of Ghanaian Movies Stars Going to Cannes Film Festival This Year�. The list revealed the list of actors and actress the organizers� had shortlisted to attend the 65TH festival de Cannes. They were eleven in number and none of our Kumawood or Twi-oriented actors/actress found their way in the list. The names were: Jackie Appiah, Nadia Buari, Majid Michel, John Dumelo, Prince David Osei, Chris Attoh, Van Vicker, Juliet Ibrahim, Yvonne Okoro, Yvonne Nelson and Martha Ankomah. Bill Asamoah in response to reasons why Kumawood actors were disqualified from Cannes Film Festival in France because they had low presence on the internet, in an interview with flexghana.com, said he was disappointed in the organizers and that since their attitude has denigrated the award, he also treats them with sneer. �I don�t believe what Fred Numah is saying. It is something he has orchestrated or concocted himself because he has done this almost every year he organizers his award. Me as in person, I have not been to that award and will never step foot there. I want Fred Numah to respect every single actor in the country. He is supposed to understand that he is organizing the awards for actors and not for his personal benefit. He is not a money making machine and cannot use actors for his money and so he needs to first respect us,� Mr Asamoah said. He added that he was surprised some of his colleagues attend an award that despises Kumawood actors when all they do to them is to be insulted in the face and they think that they are being honored. However, he has urged his colleagues in the industry to make good use of the internet/social media to gain much recognition and endorsement from the outside world.