Actress Martha Ankomah has warned that the dominance of foreign soap operas dubbed in Twi on local television is undermining Ghana’s film industry and displacing homegrown productions.

Speaking at the National Film Authority’s National Film Dialogue in Accra on Tuesday, Ankomah said the round-the-clock airing of telenovelas was crowding out Ghanaian films and weakening the industry’s ability to create jobs and contribute to the economy.

“It’s one of the main reasons why our industry is collapsing. They show it in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening… sometimes you wake up around 3am and they are still showing us,” she said.

The actress argued that while Ghanaian filmmakers generate employment and add value to the economy, local productions are routinely sidelined by broadcasters in favour of foreign content.

She accused television stations of neglecting Ghanaian films when it comes to advertising and sponsorship opportunities.

“You go to a TV station and you want to promote your project, trust me, they don’t have sponsors for local projects. But I bet you they have sponsorships for the foreign TV crews,” Ankomah said.

Ankomah urged government intervention to protect and promote Ghana’s creative sector, calling for stronger policies that would ensure more visibility for local content on television.