The Ghana Film Authority has announced it will from May 2021, commence an exercise of previewing and classifying all audio-visual content before it is allowed to be exhibited or put on air.

The authority is mandated by the Development and Classification of Film Act, 2016 (Act, 935) to among other things “preview and classify any feature film, documentary and advert that is intended for exhibition”.

A statement signed by the Chairman of the Film Classification Committee of the National Film Authority, Socrate Safo, indicated “no television station, cinema theatre or movie screening centre shall show any unclassified audio-visual content”.

As require by the law, a right owner, licensee or assignee who desires to exhibit an audio-visual content shall submit the content to the Film Classification Committee for examination and classification at least twenty-one days before the intended exhibition.
The committee warned anyone who fails to comply with the set rules shall will bear the consequences as spelt out in the law. The penalty, as set out in Section 27 of Act 935 says anyone who acts contrary to the rules:

commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than one thousand penalty units and not more than ten thousand penalty units, or imprisonment for a term of not less than one year and not more than five years or to both and in the case of a continuing offence to a further fine of one hundred penalty units for each day that the prohibited act continue.