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.

The legacy of highlife legend Daddy Lumba is being overshadowed by a painful family dispute that has left relatives tormented and seeking answers.

An aunt of the late musician has publicly cried out over the family’s inability to access his body or know the location of his grave, describing the situation as a source of ongoing spiritual and emotional distress.

Addressing the media on February 17, 2026, the aunt, whose identity was not disclosed in a report, expressed profound disappointment in the family head, the Abusuapanyin, for blocking relatives from seeing Lumba’s body after his death or being informed of his burial place.

“Abusuapanyin disappointed us, and it’s a big disgrace to us, the family. I’ve never seen or heard before that someone will die and we can’t see his body till date,” she stated, her voice heavy with grief and frustration.

A Family in Turmoil

According to the aunt, the secrecy surrounding the legend’s final resting place has created deep rifts within the family and has had a tangible impact on the living.

“We are really suffering. When you’re sleeping, he would just be on you. His ghost keeps tormenting us,” she revealed, describing unsettling experiences that some family members attribute to the unresolved situation. “We are pleading to everyone to put us into prayers.”

She explained that the family is now deeply divided, with members holding conflicting views on how to proceed.

“There’s a lot going on and everyone has something to say. For us, we are behind the truth. Since the family is divided, some are happy and others too are sad,” she shared.

A Plea for Resolution

The aunt, who described herself as a busy professional, stated that she has set aside her personal commitments out of love and duty to the family.

“I’m a busy person, but I’m here because of the love I have for the family. Some of you are not family members, but we’ve seen the love you’ve been showing us and we appreciate you all,” she said, acknowledging the public’s concern.

Despite the obstacles, she vowed that the family would not give up its quest.

“We will try as much as we can no matter what, to find Daddy Lumba’s body,” she added.

Background

Daddy Lumba, born Charles Kwadwo Fosu, passed away in July 2025, leaving behind a timeless catalogue of highlife music that continues to resonate with fans across Ghana and beyond. His death was a monumental loss to the Ghanaian music industry, but this latest revelation suggests that unresolved family matters have cast a long shadow over his memory.

The role of the Abusuapanyin (family head) in Akan tradition is to oversee family matters, including funerals and the care of ancestral remains. The aunt’s public statements represent a serious challenge to that authority and highlight a breakdown in traditional family structures.