The Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has vehemently condemned the negative stereotyping of actors following some statements made during the vetting of actor John Dumelo for the position of Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture.
During John Dumelo’s vetting, he was advised by the MP for Tolon, Habib Iddrisu, to take his new role seriously, as he was no longer in the movie industry.
These comments have since sparked massive debate on social media, with scores of Ghanaians expressing disapproval of the dismissive attitude toward the creative industry.
Speaking on this development at the launch of ‘Heritage Month’ 2025 at the Channel One premises in Accra, the sector minister on February 28, 2025, expressed utmost disappointment.
She frowned at what she termed the disrespect shown toward the creative arts industry, emphasising that actors and other creatives undergo rigorous training and dedication to excel in their craft.
“It’s not the first time I’m hearing that my space is being disrespected. It’s a thing that we do often, and it happens even at the Citadel of Education. Why? You call us all dondologists, don’t you? This is dondology that you just saw.
“These people train, they rehearse, they learn, they go through a lot of training to be able to do their performances. Why don’t you start putting appreciation on it and value it?” she stated.
Dzifa Gomashie further called on Ghanaians to respect and value the creative industry, stating that it is an important part of the country’s heritage.
The minister’s comment joins that of various stakeholders in the creative arts sector who have expressed their outrage at the comment by Habib Iddrisu.
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Meanwhile, watch how D-Black reacted to Tolon MP’s demeaning ‘movie industry’ remark
