Ghanaian actor and filmmaker Kwadwo Nkansah Lilwin has made a passionate appeal to the committee in charge of the newly launched Film Development Fund following reports that GH¢5 million out of the GH¢20 million has already been released for the initiative.
In a video shared on his social media pages and recorded from what appeared to be his bedroom, the Kumawood star pleaded with members of the committee to ensure the money is disbursed to the right people within the movie industry.
According to Lilwin, the committee must exercise caution in the selection process to avoid giving the money to individuals who may end up diverting the funds into personal investments rather than using them to revive the film sector.
The actor warned that some beneficiaries could take the money and use it to acquire lands, build houses, or squander the funds instead of investing back into filmmaking and content production.
“They should be very careful so the money does not end up in the wrong hands,” he stressed in the video message.
Lilwin further argued that the fund managers should prioritize industry players who kept Ghana’s movie industry alive during its difficult years when the sector experienced a major decline.
According to him, some filmmakers, producers and actors continued releasing movies and investing in productions over the last decade despite the challenges facing the industry, and such people deserve recognition and support.
He urged the committee to identify those who remained committed to the industry during the downturn and reward them accordingly through the disbursement process.
His comments come at a time when the National Film Authority’s Film Development Fund has become one of the most talked-about initiatives in Ghana’s creative sector after government announced a GH¢20 million seed allocation to support the growth of the movie industry. Reports later indicated that GH¢5 million has already been released, sparking discussions about how the funds should be distributed among stakeholders.