Ghanaian actor and Deputy CEO of the National Film Authority (NFA), James Gardiner, has revealed that measures are being put in place to address the unauthorized broadcast of Nigerian movies by some Ghanaian television stations.
According to him, the Authority is engaging key stakeholders to strengthen the enforcement of copyright laws and ensure that filmmakers receive adequate protection for their intellectual property.
James Gardiner made the disclosure during a candid conversation with Nigerian filmmaker Uchenna Mbunabo, in the presence of actress Jackie Appiah, after the producer raised concerns about some Ghanaian television stations allegedly airing Nollywood movies without permission.
Gardiner acknowledged that the issue exists and expressed disappointment whenever he comes across instances where films are broadcast without the consent of their owners.
He explained that the NFA has begun engagements with institutions including the Ministry of Communications, the National Communications Authority (NCA), and the National Media Commission (NMC), which play key roles in regulating Ghana’s broadcasting space.
According to him, although Ghana has copyright laws, enforcing them has become challenging due to changes in the broadcasting landscape, particularly with the rise of digital television platforms.
“There are copyright laws, but they are not effective because a lot of the TV stations don’t have offices. Most of them are now digital, so they operate from anywhere. They can even have a Ghanaian TV station but be operating from Austria simply because it is digital,” he said.
The actor disclosed that authorities are considering a new licensing framework that will allow for closer monitoring of television stations and improve compliance with copyright regulations. He further revealed that stations found guilty of violating copyright laws could face serious sanctions, including fines, suspension of licenses, and eventual revocation of their operating permits.
James Gardiner explained that under the proposed measures, first-time offenders could be required to pay a fine that would be used to compensate affected producers, while repeat offenders could face tougher penalties, including the suspension or complete withdrawal of their licences.
Uchenna Mbunabo had earlier questioned why some Ghanaian television stations allegedly download newly released Nigerian movies from YouTube and broadcast them without obtaining permission from producers.
The filmmaker described the situation as disheartening, questioning whether such actions had become acceptable within Ghana’s broadcasting space.
“I noticed that Ghanaian TV stations, the way they are stealing our films and showing them for free with impunity. Is it legalized in your country for TV stations to go on YouTube, download people’s sweat and show it for free?” he asked.
Uchenna Mbunabo argued that unauthorized broadcasts deprive producers of revenue generated through platforms such as YouTube, making it difficult for filmmakers to recover the huge investments made in producing movies.
He stressed that his concerns were not an attack on Ghana or the Ghanaian film industry, noting that he has consistently supported collaborations between Nollywood and Ghallywood by working with Ghanaian actors in several productions.
Sharing the discussion online, Ben Cassie described the conversation as one that “needed to happen,” adding that filmmakers invest years of hard work, sacrifices, loans and resources into creating movies.
She emphasized that protecting intellectual property is crucial to the growth of African cinema and ensuring that content creators are fairly rewarded for their work.
