Nkonkonsa Celebrity Gossip From Africa
Fred Nuamah, CEO of the Ghana Movie Awards, has shed light on the reasons behind the limited publicity surrounding this year’s awards ceremony. Speaking in an interview with Joy FM’s entertainment journalist, Kwame Dadzie, on Showbiz A-Z, Nuamah revealed that the event’s low-key nature was primarily due to security concerns and logistical challenges.
Nuamah explained that the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), the chosen venue for the awards, had been designated as the government’s transition team office during the same period. This overlap necessitated a more discreet approach to the event.
“It’s a bit political. Unfortunately, when we started planning, we didn’t know the government would use the AICC as their transition office. We also didn’t anticipate that it would become their seat of government, which imposed certain restrictions on us,” he said.
When asked how this impacted the event’s publicity, Nuamah admitted it played a significant role. “It affected us because we couldn’t invite a large audience. We decided to keep it quiet and focus primarily on industry insiders,” he added.
Typically, the Ghana Movie Awards is promoted through billboards, television ads, and other marketing strategies. However, this year, the organizers opted for a more subdued approach. “We wanted to limit attendance to a smaller number of people, so we scaled back on publicity,” Nuamah noted.
He also revealed that finding an alternative venue was not feasible due to their preference for a theatre-style setting. “We didn’t want a dinner setting; we wanted a theatre setup, which made it difficult to change venues at short notice,” he explained.
The awards ceremony has faced criticism for its perceived poor organization. One particular point of contention was the decision to present locally made hand fans, known as papa in Twi, as plaques to some winners. The fans featured a wooden base adorned with Ghana’s national colors and a black star.
Addressing the backlash, Nuamah said, “Personally, I was okay with it because it was made in Ghana. However, when people started complaining, I understood their concerns. I told the team that if recipients aren’t happy with the awards, it’s okay to reconsider. Perhaps they expected something more luxurious, like gold.”
Nuamah also acknowledged the financial challenges facing the Ghana Movie Awards, expressing hope that increased support and sponsorship could help resolve many of the organization’s issues.
“We are facing financial difficulties, but we believe that with more assistance, we can overcome these challenges and deliver a better experience in the future,” he concluded.
Source:NKONKONSA.com
