http://news1.ghananation.com/news/6525-ghana-slams-1-000-fee-on-nigerian-actors.html

There are indications that the cordial relationship between the Nigerian movie industry, Nollywood and its counterpart, Ghana’s Ghollywood, has hit the rocks as authorities of the Ghanaian movie industry have said that Nigerian actors will no longer be allowed to work in their country unless they pay a fee.

In a statement sent to the Actors Guild of Nigeria [AGN] Board of Trustees, said henceforth, any Nigerian actor participating in any of their productions will be compelled to pay $1, 000 (One Thousand dollars) or risk losing the job.

This development, according to the Ghanaians, is to give ample opportunities to their local actors, and as a result, develop their movie industry to an enviable height.

They are of the opinion that their Nigerian counterparts seem to be dictating the pace in the Ghanaian movie scene, and they want to address the issue before it gets out of hand.

Confirming this information to us on phone yesterday morning, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria, Prince Ifeanyi Dike, said he and his executives are already addressing the issue.

He said that he was shocked when he received the information “because I never believed such decision could come from the Ghanaians. Nollywood has done a lot to improve their movie industry and what they have done now is a clear indication that they are ingrates. How could the Ghanaians insist that Nigerian actors must be paying $1, 000 before participating in their productions?

“A lot of our popular artistes have been calling me on this issue and I have assured them that we are going to make the necessary moves. It was Nollywood that made Ghanaian actors like Van Vicker, so it is absurd for them to be creating hurdles for our own actors now.”

Prince Dike, however, stated that part of the resolutions made by his board is that if at all, any Ghanaian actor must act in Nigeria, such actor will also be compelled to pay $2,000,(two thousand dollars).

Meanwhile, as the number of foreign actors plying their trade in Nigeria’s Nollywood continues to increase, the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN, has called on the Nigerian Film and Video Marketers to curb the excesses of these foreign actors.

The authorities of AGN reiterated that movie marketers, producers, directors and other stakeholders should avoid giving prominence to foreign actors at the expense of their local counterparts.

Star actor and National President of AGN, Segun Arinze, said he is not opposed to the use of foreign actors in Nigerian movies, but it should not be at the expense of the local talents.

According to Arinze, Nigerian movie producers should be cautious of the influx of foreign actors, especially the Ghanaians, who seem to be getting more roles and better remuneration in Nigerian films.

He, however, urged the producers to “embrace an 80 percent local talent and 20 percent foreign in our films.”

He said “the current situation is worrisome to AGN as our talents are left wasting away. More disturbing is the situation where our own actors are not engaged in jobs outside the country, making our efforts not reciprocal.

“AGN appreciates the contributions of our foreign colleagues to Nollywood but when the home grown talents are wasting away, we should have a re-think because we are equally talented

Nollywood should not react by imposing a fine on Ghanaian actors. Its a foolish ploy by the Ghanaian movie industry to discourage Nigerian actors. Nollywood must instead make Nollywood more alluring to their top and most popular stars. Before they realise all their top stars will be almost fully absorbed into Nollywood, thats how you get it to backfire on them. Take their audience by attracting their actors, rather than barring them from Nollywood. If we impose hurdes to people like Majid, Van and Jackie etc they will rather stay in Ghollywood and take their fans with them. We want the reverse, we want to be the beneficiaries of their talent since they are steady hating on us. That is what has been happening of recent, we have to be smart about it and remain the most relevant of the two industries. Instead of paying $1000 to Ghanaian movie industry we should make sure that on average actors in Nigerian films have the chance of making that extra $1000. They will flock to us and filming in Ghana will become unfavourable to even their own actors.


We need to be smart about this instead of being hotheaded and rash in our reaction.

gollywood should just keep their movies and five or six stars to themselves for all i care.
when did Nigerian actors/actresses need gollywood to exist? our movies are doing well in their own way and much better than ghanian soft porn.

londoner:

Nollywood should not react by imposing a fine on Ghanaian actors. Its a foolish ploy by the Ghanaian movie industry to discourage Nigerian actors. Nollywood must instead make Nollywood more alluring to their top and most popular stars. Before they realise all their top stars will be almost fully absorbed into Nollywood, thats how you get it to backfire on them. Take their audience by attracting their actors, rather than barring them from Nollywood. If we impose hurdes to people like Majid, Van and Jackie etc they will rather stay in Ghollywood and take their fans with them. We want the reverse, we want to be the beneficiaries of their talent since they are steady hating on us. That is what has been happening of recent, we have to be smart about it and remain the most relevant of the two industries. Instead of paying $1000 to Ghanaian movie industry we should make sure that on average actors in Nigerian films have the chance of making that extra $1000. They will flock to us and filming in Ghana will become unfavourable to even their own actors.


We need to be smart about this instead of being hotheaded and rash in our reaction.

i wish nollywood could see this

It is as if the Ghanaians are all out to curtail the progress of Nigerians in their country all in the name of protectionism. Anyway, like someone said, Nollywood should display some maturity by not slamming a reciprocal fee on Ghanaian actors and actresses in Nigeria. Our Producers and Directors should just make the Nigerian Film Industry attractive to foreigners and in the long run make more money and earn the respect of people outside Africa. I don't even compare Nigeria with Ghana. Nigeria is head and shoulders above Ghana in the arts and entertainment world. Has Ghana produced a Film Producer like Thomas Ikimi? Ikimi is causing some stir in Hollywood and he has directed a movie starring Idris Elba. Nigerian Film Producers, Directors, Actors and Actresses should be aiming to conquer Europe and America. Let Ghana keep playing the game of Catch-up. Cheers.


www.vibes-extra..com

Let them go and quench!
Its mere envy and hatred thats their problem and will always be
I used to Live in Ghana and i ply my profession there as an Actor and Director, you need to see how they react to any new development, as long as its from The Nigerian, its either you wanna take over from them or you are doing too know,
So why wont they impose 1.000$ pay? how many people watches their TWI MOVIES world wide??and the ones wise enough to produce English movies lack story lines, nothing but love, soft porn and crime, ALL ONE WAY SHOOTING.
Nollywood is a University for them, an institution they will awlays study from no matter how huge their Ghallywood is becoming or gonna become.
Lets see how far the majeed's and vicker's will go without Nollywood,
i rest my case,
thats the only thing they know how to do COPY FROM YOU FIRST AND LATER SENDS YOU PACKING AFTER GETTING WHAT YOU BROUGHT,
I LIVED IN GHANA AND I KNOW WHAT AM TALKING ABOUT

what have Nigerians done to Ghana

i say we impose visa on them

lets see who would lose at the end

Ungrateful bunch

gollywood . lol

They wont forget 'Ghana must go'
Ghana is just a hater, Nigeria is juts great naturally but then we are not even using our size to our advantage

Nollywood-firewood-gollywood or wetin be their name

They have not reach a standard to be called a movie industry, yet they are placing unnecessary boundaries

Ghana vs Nigeria,

Anyway I think it is just fear of being dominated. The other time, their attack was on Globacom and demolition of GLO's equipment, which made Glo to issue a press conference that they are withdrawing from the Ghana because of hostile business environment, now it is slamming $1,000 fee on Nollywood actors/actresses, who knows the next?

To me, I do not see why we should be killing ourselves going to Ghana, Nollywood should stay at home, harness our talents and potentials, make it an enviable one. We have not reached the peak and we are already going to develop other people. It is better that the Ghanaian exhibited this hatred now that it is early so that our people can go home and put their house in order. It baffles me these days that people when they travel to Ghana they now see it as if they have gone to one big place.

This Ghana nonsense will put us on the right track.

are they seriously expecting Nigerians will squirm and beg at their say so (i laff in twi ). sorry for them who even recognises their movies outside of their boundaries? their few stars were made famous through Nollywood, so they have more to gain from us than we from them. hope someone gets that through their thick skull,

Must olly be added?
I will prefer Ghawood!
In sports,in entertainment etc, we seem to be taking a cue from ghana in almost everything.
Did the bod of AGN had to wait for ghana to act before they started meeting and planning on issues
like this?

:d :d :d :d :d :d :d

The so called gholyhood is not even know anywhere. I for example only discovered recently that ghana makes films. All the films are generally regarded as nollywood films outside of west africa, and yet they are trying to seperate themself not knowing they will not make a single kobo without the nollywood backing.

They need to realise that nolywood (inspite of the poor movie standard) has made such a name for itself that : every movie made in a west-african-type-city or village is seen as a nollywood film to the african movie fans everywhere.

Ghana!,Ghana!!,Ghana!!!.How many time did i cal u,Dont be HATING! Wud get u Nowhere!

It is a very bad thing for Ghana to do, i total disagree with them, when the six stars they have had make it in Nigeria and now went back to thier country to shine because of what nigeria made of them now they want to shave us away, it is very bad, even nigerians in Ghana are complaning about the way Ghanains treat them, i think it is better we start Issuing them Visa before they come, who they hell do there think they are, there so proud, little ghana, that Lagos and Ibadan alone fit can occupy, Bleep them abeg

why are they afraid of us?

More is to come these are people I knew well there is no point anyone should be telling them they should not be hating they are already a haters particularly Nigerians that is th truth. All those who are brothers keepers and die hard has see Ghana again in new move I think they are following the news well enough to see what Ghana are doing.

I was there I spoke with them they are first class history forgetters because all their hatred towards Nigeria is just late 80's Ghana must go era that is all andnot economy guideship or protection as they claimed that but they lost their heads forgetting what Ghanian too did to Nigerians in late 60's. Go around their hamlet cities and ask why are you doing this to strangers particularly Nigerians all you will hear is Oh! they send us out in late 80's but Nigeria never say oh they killed us and burnt our house and deported us in late 60's.

Some even said they should deport all Nigeria and barred them from coming in some dont even rent house or share a buildings with Nigerians and so on it was a situation that I could not belief. They have be saying it for long to stop our actors and actresses from coming in so to me is not a new thing it is a delebrate. And they will still do more at least everybody remember what happened during business registration hike, Globacom departure, School fees and so on more is still coming.

Very soon, Nigerian would need Visa to enter their Country

I WONDER WHAT THIS GHANIANS ARE UP TO, EVEN I GIVE THEM 50YEARS MORE THERE MOVIE INDUSTRY CAN NOT B LIKE THAT OF NIGERIANS. THEY NEVER KNEW WE WEREJUST TRYING TO GET THEM RECOGNIZED.

NOW ISHI TIME WEDEALWITH THEM COS ITS BECOMMING TOO MUCH.
THE OTHER DAY IT WAS HUDGE SUM FOR BUSINESS MEN IN GHNA,
NOW IS ANOTHER 1K DOLS FOR ACTORS,
WE SHOULD REACT, AND GET THEM FIX,
THATS THE BEST THING,
MAKE LIFE TOUGH FOR THEM TOO, AND IMPOSE SANCTIONS ON THEM IF POSIBLE,

Moderator!!! do our leaders even read comments like this? how can we make them read our comments. Nigeria is a nation of talents, our

comments,ideas shouldn't be a waste, [b][/b]

Nigeria wont do anything as usual.

Nigeria is a large pancake; wobbly wobbly.
People are taking the pi.ss left right and center.

The individuals in charge of Nigerian actors association should go and collect their brown envelopes as normal.

gollywood must realy think they have arrived,imagine them slamming nollywood with such ridiculous levies. talk about biting the hands that fed u.i can remember that a few years ago gollywood was nothing to write home about,people in naija mostly watched thier films for comic relief.they didnt even hyave a name!!!!!!!!!!!!  it was wen the likes of jackie appiah,nadia buari,van vicker and so on came here to get "trained" by naija actors and actresses that they attained the level they reached now? this is an out rage.

Moderator!!! do our leaders even read comments like this? how can we make them read our comments. Nigeria is a nation of talents, our
comments,ideas shouldn't be a waste, [b][/b

You are very correct

gollywood must realy think they have arrived,imagine them slamming nollywood with such ridiculous levies. talk about biting the hands that fed u.i can remember that a few years ago gollywood was nothing to write home about,people in naija mostly watched their films for comic relief.they didnt even hyave a name!!!!!!!!!!!! it was wen the likes of jackie appiah,nadia buari,van vicker and so on came here to get "trained" by naija actors and actresses that they attained the level they reached now? this is an out rage.

Poster you are right it is so outrageous and pain in the a-s-s. How I wish you could go there and see things for yourself or speak to them in that their hamlets cities you will be shock of what you will be hearing from them both tout, police man, market women even the coporate guys you will be dissappointed that even enlighten ones among them who has gone to school and travelled are even the worst haters of Nigeria this is a fact anybody can go and check this out they are not pretending about it it's only their government that are playing pretending but the massess are head bend haters of Nigerians. I think they are getting onto our nerves now.

why

shotuns:

Moderator!!!  do our leaders even read comments like this?  how can we make them read our comments. Nigeria is a nation of talents, our

comments,ideas shouldn't be a waste, [b][/b]

You can never be sure whether they read your comments or not. But if you so passionate about your comments being heard at the highest level of government. Try this gamble. Post here:  http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Goodluck-Jonathan/105479482835768

He claims he reads them. Let's put him to the test!

Since Atta mills took hold of power, their govt. has been hating on Nigeria, 1st they imposed a $300,000 levy on any Nigerian doing business in their country, then they physically drive Nigerian-born Glo out of their country by vandalising their equipments, now they're charging nollywood actors, producers and crew. The same Ghana were recently ranked the 9th world's worst economy. But why hate on Nigerians?? or maybe they're scared one day a Nigerian will rule them.