The President of the Ghana Actors Guild, Samuel Fiscian, has disclosed that the body has been served a month’s notice to vacate its current premises.
According to him, this is to enable authorities commence the Marine Drive Project which extends to the land on which its offices are located. The Ghana Actors’ Guild premises also houses the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGHA) Secretariat.
According to Mr Fiscian, the association is faced with a possibility of not having an office to operate if the Creative Arts Ministry is unable to honour a promise of relocating them.
“As we speak, key on the agenda has to do with office space. We have an office at the premises of MUSIGHA. However, the Marine Drive Project will affect the MUSIGHA building in terms of the demarcation and we have been served notice to quit and we have roughly a month,” he told Bismark Boachie, popularly known as DJ Premier, on Accra FM’s Entertainment Capital.
However, Mr Fiscian indicated on Saturday July 8 that the executives of the Actors Guild are “in touch with the sector ministry and we have had an assurance that they will do whatever it takes and even if it is not a permanent office they will get us a temporary place as they work towards a permanent place for us”.
He said he had learnt that the comprehensive Marine Drive Project will have an office complex when completed to house the entire creative arts sector groupings and other bodies.
The founder and director of Vision Theatre Company is optimistic that the Actors’ Guild can be re-branded to make it more attractive for all actors and actresses to join.
Explaining some of the issues confronting the association, Mr Fiscian highlighted welfare policy as a key factor which needs attention.
He further explained that the association has a long term plan to establish a film school in Ghana, as he lamented how unscrupulous persons and organisations have been fleecing individuals with the promise of training on-screen personalities.
He said the proliferation of such an organisation has prompted the association to investigate and implement solutions to prevent individuals from falling victim to such miscreants.
“It is unfortunate and we have put in place some committees to probe and recommend solutions to curb the practice,” he assured.
He said individuals engaged in such acts have the aim of “siphoning money” from people.
He said the association is currently undergoing an audit and very soon improved structures and systems will be implemented to make the Ghana Actors Guild more efficient in delivering its mandate.
He said he would be glad if the Actors Guild was also considered for the Creative Arts Fund.
