Renowned Ghanaian filmmaker Samuel Darko, widely known as SamDakus, has reignited controversy within the creative industry by asserting that Ghana lacks a true movie industry—claiming instead that what exists are fragmented groups posing as one.
Speaking in a candid interview aired on June 14, 2025, on SeanCity TV with popular host Ruthy Mummy DeNelson, SamDakus offered a blunt and unapologetic critique of the current state of Ghana’s film landscape.
“There’s no movie industry in Ghana. What we have here are just mere associations. Nothing is structured, nothing is regulated,” he stressed.
According to SamDakus, the so-called industry lacks a central, authoritative body that oversees, coordinates, and regulates operations across the entire film value chain, from production to distribution and exhibition.
He pointed out that groups like the Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG) and the Actors Guild are simply fragmented bodies operating in silos, with no overarching system or policy direction.
“An industry is built on structure, governance, funding systems, and standards. But in Ghana, all we see are informal groups with no unifying vision,” he added.
SamDakus’s hard-hitting comments come at a time when conversations about reviving and redefining the Ghanaian film ecosystem are gaining momentum.
His critique is seen by many as a wake-up call for stakeholders to move beyond association politics and push for a national film policy that can institutionalise and formalise the sector.
His statement has since sparked widespread discussion on social media and within film circles, with creatives, critics, and fans weighing in on whether Ghana indeed has an industry or just a loose network of individuals trying to make a living through film.
SamDakus has touched a nerve and perhaps opened a much-needed conversation on what it truly means to have a film industry in Ghana.
