Ghana Movie Awards ‘papa’ plaques

The Founder of the Ghana Movie Awards , Fred Nuamah, has responded to concerns raised by some film industry people regarding plaques that were awarded to some of the winners during its 2025 edition.

The program which was held at the Accra International Conference Centre on January 18, 2025, has come under flak for poor organization.

One of the issues that came up after the award ceremony was the presentation of locally made fans (called papa in Twi) to some of the winners.

The fan plaques have a wooden base with inscriptions and a painting of Ghana’s red-gold-green and the black star, on the fan.

Speaking to Kwame Dadzie on Joy FM’s Showbiz A-Z, Fred Nuamah explained that the fans were awarded to winners of categories that fell under a different award scheme called Ghana TV Series Awards, although the two awards were held together.

“I do know that it is Ghana Movie Awards and Ghana TV Series Awards. It is the Ghana Movie Awards that we have the trademark with the gold-plated plaques. When it comes to Ghana TV Series Awards, because we don’t have the trademark, we started with the golden plaques, we went somewhere else and they tried this one [the fans] as well so those who had the fan aka the papa, they are the Ghana TV Series Awards. So Ghana Movie Awards did not present papa, but the two events were held at the same place,” he said.

He said, in spite of the criticism, he believed the artists that came up with the idea had a good reason.

“Normally we go to China, India and other places for our plaques. So, if my team is saying they want to come out with something locally [made], of course [I needed to comply]. Now, also let me say something here. You know you can’t challenge artists. What they see, we don’t see it. For example, if you go and check on Mona Lisa, that small photograph, I am sure the cost of that photograph will not even be up to 400 dollars when they want to sell it about billions of cedis. So, when it comes to artists, they can pick anything and do anything with it, and tell you that this thing is 3,000 dollars,” he further noted.

The ‘fan’ plaques presented at 2025 Ghana Movie Awards
Asked if he was impressed with the fan plaques, he responded in the affirmative.

“Personally, I was okay with it, because it was made in Ghana, so I was okay, until people started complaining about it. I went back to the team and told them if you are giving something to people and they seem not to like, it’s okay. They are golden so maybe they want something golden,” he stated.

Fred Nuamah however said with the feedback they had with the fan plaques, they will not repeat them again in their subsequent editions.

He therefore indicated that the Ghana Movie Awards is saddled with financial difficulties and hopes that most of their problems will be solved if they get more assistance.

Source: myjoyonline.com