Ghana’s Minister of Communication, Sam George, has weighed in on the recent piracy controversy involving Nigerian actress Bimbo Ademoye, who accused a Ghana-based YouTube channel of illegally uploading her newly released film Broken Hallelujah without authorisation.
The award-winning actress had earlier taken to social media to express her outrage over the unauthorised distribution of her creative work. In a strongly-worded post, Ademoye lamented the blatant disregard for her intellectual property and the extensive efforts that went into the production of the film.
“PSA!!. ENOUGH IS ENOUG!!!. I hate that I have to do this, but my blood, sweat tears , hardwork, money, sleepless nights will not be enjoyed by someone else!” she wrote. “As it is now there are already 2 channels that have stolen my title and my poster for about 2-3 days now.”
She named the channels responsible as Nollynew Series TV and Nolly Specials, urging her fans to take action. “They’re Nollynew series TV and Nolly specials. (Guys pls help me report thier channels). It is very unfair, that we’d work, day and night and one evil demon would come and reap where they didn’t sow. This time I will not take it,” she added.
The matter soon caught the attention of Sam George, who responded publicly to Ademoye’s complaint. He acknowledged the issue and expressed solidarity with the actress, assuring her that steps would be taken to address the infringement.
“My attention has been drawn to your post thanks to the tag. I would be raising the issue with my Colleague Minister responsible for overseeing television content. I however wish to assure you that our government is very respectful of intellectual property rights and would ensure the protection of same,” he stated.
He further expressed optimism about the continued collaboration between Ghana and Nigeria in the creative industry. “I believe Ghana and Nigeria have so much we can continue to collaborate on for our mutual benefit.”
