Oscar Provençal, a Ghanaian actor famed for his lead role in the Inspector Bediako television series, has made a call on the government to have a special package for filmmakers who seek to use heritage sites in their works. 

Oscar, who appeared on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z on Saturday June 17, 2023 remonstrated the hustle filmmakers go through to get access to some of these sites.

Addressing the issue, he said “access to heritage sites is a challenge and this is where the Ministry of Tourism comes in. So we need to have some round table and come to a agreement where film makers can get some sort of discount for using heritage sites for the purposes of promoting the country. It is a mutual benefit. I think that is crucial.” 

He made this comment after the President of the Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG), James Aboagye, said on the show that getting access to heritage sites is a big problem to filmmakers. 

“When you try to make use of some of these heritage [sites], you go there and the authorities in charge will frustrate your effort, so why do you have to hustle before you do this?” He said.

He further intimated that some of these heritage sites charge exorbitant fees. 

“There is a fee to pay which augments your budget. Not that we are not ready to pay. We are ready to pay but the commercial fees that they charge one of the concerns.

You go to the tourism sites like Boti, Kintampo, Kakum, then if you want to use Ghana Airport you are charged in dollars, meanwhile we are in Ghana. We are Ghanaians. We use Cedis. When you go there you are asked to pay in dollars,” he told the host Kwame Dadzie.

Oscar Provençal and James Aboagye were guests on Showbiz A-Z for a discussion on how to use film to promote the Ghanaian heritage. 

Other people on the panel were George Bosompem, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the Ghana Academy of Film and Television Arts (GAFTA), David Dontoh, the Chairman of the National Film Authority Board and Juliet Yaa Asantewaa, the Executive Secretary of the National Film Authority. 

Showbiz A-Z, hosted by entertainment journalist Kwame Dadzie, airs on Joy 99.7 FM on Saturdays from 2pm to 6pm.