<<Print>>

Filmmaker Samuel Whyte has expressed his worry about the indefinite closure of Cinemas in Ghana due to the Covid - 19 crisis. He cited ongoing political events in Ghana as a deviation from the strict measures to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.

He, therefore, called on the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture to intervene as he believes, cinemas in Ghana can operate under very safe measures.

He said this in a phone interview with Shine Publications yesterday from Accra.

With cinemas being shut down since the emergence of the deadly global pandemic Coronavirus in Ghana, the Film industry has taken a dive as many productions have come to a halt.

It is for this reason and others that Ghanaian filmmaker Samuel Whyte feels reopening cinemas is very necessary.

"When you look at some of these political gatherings, there is zero social distancing among the crowds. Yet, it was for these reasons that cinemas were closed.

And, compared to the cinema halls, before you enter the malls in Ghana, the security personnel makes sure you have your masks on and your hands are also sanitized. Furthermore, the sitting arrangements in the cinemas can easily be controlled to allow for 'one seat gap' between seats, thereby allowing for social distancing easily", he explained.

Samuel Whyte added that the longer the cinemas stayed closed, the more people will continue losing their livelihoods. However, he supported the idea of bringing back outdoor cinemas to seal the vacuum created in the absence of indoor cinemas in Ghana.