The Screen Actors Guild Ghana(SAG), has demanded the Foreign Affairs Minister, Shirly Ayorkor-Botchway to apologize for the jabs she threw at Member of Parliament aspirant and Actor John Dumelo.
This follows comments she made about the people in the creative industry as people who are “not serious”.
Shirly Ayorkor-Botchway, whilst campaigning against John Dumelo, in the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency said: “parliament is for serious minded people and not people who have done some movies and think they are popular”.
She also emphasized that “it is a serious place; I will tell him; the laws of the country are enacted in parliament”, She stated.
The Guild however, marked the Minister’s comments as derogatory and therefore, has required her to apologize not only to John Dumelo but to the entire creative industry.
In the press release, the guild emphasized on how distasteful Shirly’s comments were and that her comments were, ‘repugnant and shameful’.
They went on to highlight that, acting is as equally a respectable profession as any other and through acting, you learn how to relate with other people’s belief. Therefore it is the perfect profession to ‘matriculate from into parliament’.
More so, the release stated that, actors are treasured people with equal rights and should not be belittled because they have interest in politics.
“We, as Actors, are very valuable citizens of this nation with equal rights, therefore, the comment made by Madam Shirley Ayorkor against John Dumelo, one of us, is quite disappointing. This statement makes us ponder on her high level appointment.”
They went on to question the fact that if actors were not serious, why then do politicians come for them for endorsement. They also added that they represent the country at large, and are they as entertainers give a voice to the voiceless.
Eliciting on the meaning of showbiz, the release stated that show business, is not just about entertainment and that one needs high level of intelligence to survive in that industry.
Nonetheless, they made mention of the fact that acting, is not for weak minded people who thinks loosely and went on to throw a challenge that “anyone who doubts this averment should accept our challenge, pick up a script and attempt to act”.
They further went on to ask that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sirly Ayorkor-Botchway should retract and apologize to the creative industry by the close of the day or face the consequences later.
“With these said, we would like to advise the minister and the general public to desist from such shameful and derogatory remarks on our members. We insist that, if she is to be considered as worthy of her tag of Hon., she should render an unqualified apology to the filmmaking and the creative fraternity in its entirety for the verbal disdainful comment she made. We would be forced to respond in equal measure, if she refuses to do as advised by 3pm on a Tuesday, December 1, 2020”.
They also emphasized that, this was in no way suggesting that they support a particular party or candidate but, they have the interest of their ‘distinguished members’ at heart and therefore will not allow anyone ‘toy’ with them.
Read also: VAN VICKER LAMENTS ENTERTAINERS ARE “SERIOUS PEOPLE”
