Socrate Safo is a veteran Ghanaian filmmaker
Veteran Ghanaian filmmaker and former Director of Creative Arts at the National Commission on Culture, Socrate Safo, has said the downfall of Ghana’s creative industry is largely self-inflicted by the very people within it, the creatives themselves.
In a passionate post shared on his Facebook page, Safo argued that the sector’s struggles have little to do with government neglect or lack of talent, but rather with the indiscipline, mistrust, and poor accountability of industry players, which have driven investors away.
“The Ghanaian creative industry didn’t collapse because of a lack of talent or government neglect. It fell apart because we, the creatives ourselves, lost discipline, broke trust, and destroyed investor confidence,” he wrote.
Safo explained that despite the government’s efforts to establish supportive institutions and policies, creatives failed to build proper structures or maintain the trust of investors who once funded projects in film, music, and fashion.
“We insulted them, disrespected them, defaulted on our promises, and made them feel their money didn’t matter. But it does. Because creativity without capital is just imagination,” he stated.
He cited the Zylofon Art Fund as a painful example of what he described as “self-sabotage,” recalling how some beneficiaries failed to return funds meant to revolve and support other creatives.
“Many treated it like free money. Some refused to return funds, and when accountability was demanded, they mocked the initiative instead,” he lamented.
I’ve not been paid for 5 years as Director for Creative Arts at NCC – Socrate Safo
According to him, such behaviour destroyed investor confidence and discouraged potential backers from supporting the industry again.
Safo noted that the problem extends beyond film to other sectors, including music, fashion, and digital content creation, where frequent disputes, broken contracts, and unprofessional conduct have further eroded credibility.
He called for a new era of discipline, accountability, and structure, urging policymakers to enforce licensing and training standards while creatives learn to respect contracts and business ethics.
“No government can fix an industry whose people refuse to fix themselves. The journey must begin with discipline and accountability,” he emphasized.
Concluding his message, Socrate Safo said his intention was not to condemn but to awaken the industry to self-reflection and reform.
“I have seen its glory days, and I refuse to watch it die from pride and ignorance. Let us humble ourselves and rebuild trust with those who once believed in us,” he urged.
ID/MA
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