Abandoned historic venues like Roxy and Orion Cinemas highlight crisis as NFA moves to recover, renovate and reopen theatres across the country

Accra, Ghana – April 18, 2026 – The National Film Authority (NFA) has begun a major push to revive Ghana’s struggling cinema culture, starting with efforts to reclaim and restore long-abandoned cinema halls in Accra and other regions.

A recent documentary by the NFA revealed the dilapidated state of once-popular venues such as the Roxy Cinema and Orion Cinema in Accra. The Roxy, a former entertainment landmark, now stands derelict and unrecognizable as a cinema, while the Orion Cinema at Circle shares a similar fate. Similar abandoned cinemas exist in Kumasi, Takoradi, Cape Coast (including the historic Rivoli Cinema), and other cities.

Currently, Ghana has very limited functional cinema infrastructure. The only major operational cinemas are Silverbird outlets at Accra Mall and West Hills Mall, with a combined capacity of under 1,000 seats. Industry stakeholders say this severely restricts revenue for filmmakers, making it difficult to recoup production costs and sustain regular film output.

Recovery and Community Initiatives

NFA officials, including CEO, Kafui Danku, and her Deputy, James Gardner, have visited abandoned sites to assess their condition and signal the authority’s intention to take over, renovate, and reopen them. The goal is to create a network of cinemas that would allow simultaneous premieres in multiple cities including Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, and Tamale.

As part of its broader revival strategy, the NFA organized community film screenings during Easter under the “Ghana Film Experience” initiative. A local film, Ramadan, directed by Kobbi Rana and shot in Nima, was screened for free in the Nima-Mamobi area, drawing strong community turnout. The authority is also promoting pop-up cinemas to rebuild public interest in Ghanaian movies.

NFA leaders say the strategy goes beyond reopening old buildings. It includes stimulating private investment, expanding cinema infrastructure, creating jobs, and positioning Ghana as a leading film hub in Africa. They are calling on investors, developers, and creative partners to help transform historic venues into modern cinemas and cultural centers.

Industry voices emphasize that success will depend on producing high-quality films, delivering strong audience experiences, and maintaining consistency in screenings.

The NFA’s multi-pronged approach aims to reverse years of decline and restore cinema-going as a vibrant part of Ghanaian cultural life.

The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts is facing intense backlash after releasing an AI-generated promotional video for a campus tourism office launch—the third time in less than a month the ministry has been dragged on social media for using artificial intelligence instead of engaging real human creatives.

The controversy erupted on March 3, 2026, when the Ghana Tourism Marketplace Twitter account posted a video promoting the launch of the Ghana Tourism Development Company’s new campus tourism office at the University of Ghana, Legon.

The video featured two AI-generated characters discussing the new office with stilted dialogue and uncanny valley visuals that immediately drew public criticism.

But for many Ghanaians, the video wasn’t just aesthetically off-putting—it represented a fundamental betrayal of the ministry’s core mandate.

‘Creative Arts’ in Name Only?

“If you are the Ministry of Creative Arts, you need to be very creative. You need to set the standard,” one social media user posted in response to the video. “And if your standard is not there, then it’s some way.”

The criticism strikes at the heart of an uncomfortable contradiction: a ministry with “creative arts” in its official title appears to be bypassing living, breathing Ghanaian creatives in favor of algorithm-generated content.

“Someone said there are tens of thousands of real students on campus and you still chose AI generated people for a tourism campaign that should be highlighting authenticity,” a blogger noted, quoting online reactions. “What are we doing here?”

The University of Ghana, where the campus tourism office was launched, houses departments in Theater Arts, Creative Arts, and related fields—students who could have been paid for their work.

“It’s disappointing that the Ghana Tourism account is using AI for adverts when we have talented students studying theater arts who could handle this work,” another user wrote. “How much would it really cost to engage young creatives and tech students?”

A Pattern of Controversy

This is not the ministry’s first AI-related misstep. Just weeks earlier, on February 10, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts faced similar backlash over an AI-generated poster for a special recognition ceremony honoring Hamamat, following her “shea butter ambassador” event with social media personality IShowSpeed.

“Everybody look at the flyer and say that ‘ah, is this a joke or what?'” the Ghanaian blogger recounted. “This one wasn’t going well at all.”

The flyer, shared by Ghana Tourism Authority Deputy CEO Abeiku Aggrey Santana among others, appeared official but bore the hallmarks of AI-generated imagery—a shortcut that critics say undermines the very industries the ministry exists to support.

A February 20 flyer for the campus tourism office launch escaped similar criticism—but the March 3 video brought renewed scrutiny.

The Job Creation Question

Beyond the aesthetic concerns, critics point to the economic implications. A traditional video production would employ multiple Ghanaians: actors, a sound technician, videographer, video editor, makeup artist, and costume designers.

“Imagine the number of people who could have gotten something to eat from this,” the entertainment blogger observed. “AI has cleared all these people. It’s just one person sitting behind the computer entering prompts.”

For a ministry tasked with nurturing Ghana’s creative economy, the choice to use AI-generated content sends a troubling message about its commitment to the very industries it oversees.

“What’s the essence of paying the tourism tax and levy if you are going to use prompts for arts?” one user demanded. “So much for government trying to invest in the creative arts sector.”

Students Show the Way

Adding to the sting of the controversy, social media users were quick to highlight examples of student work that far surpassed the ministry’s AI-generated effort.

“Look at what students from the same school did for their project work and compare it to the rubbish you people have done,” one comment read, sharing a video created by University of Ghana students as part of their academic work.

The comparison underscored what many see as a missed opportunity: the ministry could have commissioned students, providing both quality content and valuable experience—and payment—to young Ghanaians entering the creative field.

A Dissenting View

Not everyone agrees the criticism is fair. One social media user defended the use of AI, suggesting detractors haven’t accepted technological reality.

“The fact that people are complaining about the use of AI and not real human beings suggests that people have still not fully understood the times we live in,” the user posted. “This is it, man. This is it. People will lose jobs, opportunities, etc. to AI and its advanced versions. Live with it.”

When They Get It Right

To be fair, the ministry has demonstrated it can produce quality work. Past campaigns—including Fugu Wednesday artwork, Heritage Month launch visuals, and Love and Coco Month promotions—have received positive feedback.

“It’s not like they always doing bad things,” the blogger acknowledged. “If you go to their Facebook page, you will see a lot of good stuff over there.”

But the repeated controversies—approximately one per month, critics note—suggest a systemic issue rather than isolated missteps.

Official Silence

As of this writing, the Ghana Tourism Authority has not deleted the controversial video nor issued a statement addressing the backlash. The video remains live on the Ghana Tourism Marketplace Twitter account, posted on the day of the campus office launch.

“Some people are insulting them. Some people are expressing their disappointment in a very demure way,” the blogger observed. “What about you? What do you think about it?”

For an industry watching technology transform creative work at unprecedented speed, the question is more than rhetorical. In a ministry charged with both promoting tourism and nurturing Ghana’s creative sector, every choice sends a signal about whose work—and which workers—truly matter.

The answer, for now, remains as unclear as the line between AI-generated characters and the real Ghanaians they’ve replaced.

Tema finally has its own movie. And after winning hearts on home soil, the film is packing its bags for New York.

King of Tema, the first feature film ever to come out of the harbour city, has already had its Ghana premiere. The story travelled well locally. Now it is time to see how it lands with the diaspora.

On Thursday, March 5, the film touches down in New York City. The venue stays under wraps for now, but the vision is clear. This is not just a screening. It is a homecoming of sorts for Ghanaians abroad.

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A post shared by Kobina de Graft-Johnson (@anibokstudios)

The date carries weight. March 5 is the eve of Ghana’s Independence Day. So the team behind the film decided to turn the night into something bigger than cinema.

Kobina, the producer, laid it all out on Instagram. “That evening is going to be a celebration of Ghana culture,” he said. And he meant every word.

Expect the smells of home to fill the New York air. Jollof. Waakye. Chicken. Ghana salad. Light soup with goat. The kind of spread that makes you forget you are thousands of miles away. Ghana music will set the tone. Giveaways and prizes will keep the energy up.

But underneath the food and the fun, there is a quieter purpose. The night is built for connection. Business owners. Creatives. Storytellers. Anyone who moves between two worlds—Ghana and America—and wants to find their people.

“We just want to create a space where we can just celebrate us,” Kobina said.

For those in New York who have been watching from afar, this is the invitation. RSVP is required. Time is 6pm EST sharp.

King of Tema has already made history at home. Now it carries a piece of the harbour city to the heart of the diaspora. One night. One story. One table of jollof. That is all it takes to feel close again.