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AI is another creative tool – Kafui Danku defends use of AI in filmmaking
The Executive Secretary of the National Film Authority, Kafui Danku, has defended the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in filmmaking, describing it as another creative tool.
In a statement, Kafui Danku said she released her first AI creation recently and while some film enthusiasts welcomed it and commended her for being forward-thinking, she noticed reservations from some creatives, particularly young people.
“I also noticed something that genuinely concerned me: reservations from some of our own creatives…particularly some of the younger people I expected would be curious enough to ask, ‘How did you do this? What prompts did you use? How can we make it better?’ Instead, some of the reactions were rooted in fear; particularly the fear that AI means they may no longer have opportunities to work on set,” she said.
According to her, AI does not automatically mean fewer opportunities for Ghanaian creatives, but rather the question should be who is using the AI and what they are using it to create.
“If a Ghanaian writer develops the story, a Ghanaian producer brings it to life, Ghanaian actors provide the voices or performances, Ghanaian musicians create the soundtrack, and Ghanaian directors, editors, designers and artists shape the final product, then AI has not necessarily removed Ghanaian creativity. It has become another production tool,” she explained.
She noted that many good stories never get made because production costs are too high, and if AI can help a filmmaker bring a story to life that may otherwise never have existed, it should be explored.
“AI does not wake up one morning and decide to make a Ghanaian film. Someone still has to write the story. Develop the characters. Make the creative decisions. Direct. Edit. Create the sound. Shape the visual language. Market the project. And ultimately find an audience,” she added.
Kafui Danku acknowledged that concerns about job losses are valid, but said resisting the technology will not protect the industry.
“I believe the better approach is to ensure that Ghanaian creatives understand these tools, learn how to use them, and most importantly, remain in control of how they are applied. Because the bigger danger isn’t Ghanaian filmmakers using AI. The bigger danger is the rest of the world mastering these tools while we refuse to engage with them,” she cautioned.
She said the conversation should not be about AI versus Ghanaian creatives, but how to ensure Ghanaian creatives control the tools, tell their own stories, own the intellectual property and benefit financially.
“The technology is here either way. The important thing is making sure we are behind the wheel… not standing on the roadside watching it pass us by,” she said.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Executive Committee member and Volta River Authority (VRA) Board Member, Wonder Victor Kutor, has described calls for the resignation of Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa as premature and unjustified.
He argued that there was no evidence to establish that the minister had committed any wrongdoing to warrant such demands.
Speaking on Joy News in Accra on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, Mr Kutor questioned what had changed to justify the growing calls for the minister to step down.
He recalled that the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, had earlier indicated that the opposition was not accusing Mr Ablakwa of any wrongdoing.
Mr Kutor, therefore, challenged those demanding the minister’s resignation to provide fresh evidence to support their position.
“The call for the Minister to resign is premature, it is untenable. There is no evidence. I mean, what has he done wrong?” he questioned.
He added that documents, including boarding passes, airline receipts and flight manifests relating to the minister’s return journey, had been provided.
Mr Kutor expressed concern that the calls for Mr Ablakwa’s resignation could discourage young politicians from speaking out against corruption and advocating transparency.
According to him, politicians should not be targeted or maligned for demanding accountability, warning that such treatment could create the impression that speaking against corruption could later become a liability when one is appointed to public office.
He maintained that calling for accountability and transparency should not be used as grounds to target public officials without evidence of wrongdoing.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana will host the Africa Festival of Arts, Culture and Creatives (AFESTAC) 2026 alongside Industrial Skills Week Africa (ISWA) 2026 in Accra from December 9 to 12, 2026.
On the back of these programmes, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called on corporate Ghana, the media and the general public to support the initiative through partnerships, sponsorships and active participation.
The events, supported by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), will bring together stakeholders to celebrate Africa’s rich cultural heritage, strengthen the creative economy, promote industrial skills development and create employment opportunities for young people.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
