Renowned filmmaker and actress, Juliet Yaa Asante, the former Executive Secretary of the National Film Authority (NFA) has opened up about a list of ordeals ranging from financial neglect from government and absence of office equipment, intimidation and sexual harassment from her superiors, to insults buses and lack of cooperation she endured during her tenure.
Juliet Asante on Sunday took to her facebook page to congratulate the newly appointed Executive Secretary, colleague actress Kafui Danku-Pitcher and describe her exit from the NFA as “freedom”.
In her write up, Juliet Asante said the first year she was appointed to head the NFA, the entire money government released for the Authority for the whole year was $100 and for the second year, the entire money government released was $1000.
READ ALSO: Shocking: Juliet Bawuah leaves Media General’s TV3
“I remember vividly a day when I was caught between two male bosses. one lifted me up bodily and shoved me into the arms of another, insisting that I give him a hug! The latter hugged me and made the comment ‘maybe, I am the one who will marry you one day’… that night, I scrubbed myself until my skin was tender… I felt dirty”, Juliet noted in her write-up and alleged that she suffered literal insults from her Board members amidst other challenges.
Below is the write-up in full:
TODAY IS ONE OF THE
HAPPIEST DAYS OF MY LIFE
… and this is why…
Take a seat…
In November, 2020, when I was asked by the minister to take the job of the Executive Secretary of the National Film Authority, I accepted.
Little did I envisage what was to follow…
With a paper in hand, but no office or money, I set out to recruit staff. With two staff members, we started the work. I took time to draft a strategy paper. But it became very clear, very quickly, that no one was interested and that this was going to be a very, very long road…
In the first year, we were given 1000ghc ($100) for the entire year. Second year, 10,000ghc (about $1000 at the time). Neither me or my staff received pay for 2 years.
We had to shoulder the cost of running a Government office from our pockets. We worked from my home or the homes of other staff members. There was absolutely no one to show us the ropes of how to set up a new Government agency and while we were struggling to understand what to do and not to do… I was dealing with a very antagonistic Board that told me upfront that I wasn’t who they wanted.
The first activity we tried to do was gather data to understand the sector and problem we were dealing with. This activity was blocked by the Board and almost everything after that was challenged or blocked. Board meetings were a sight to behold. Thankfully, the Covid video took off and many Ghanaians found solace in the beautiful video giving hope to many, without realizing that it was from the newly formed National Film Authority. filmmakers contributed to the video for free.
By then though, the attacks were nonstop, online and offline… Gush, there was a day I was attacked for 5 hours by a 13- member Board and screamed at to keep quiet when I tried to explain the situation… and insulted two weeks without any breaks on 3 WhatsApp pages… at the same time, my mother was dying and the hospital bills were killing me, while I had to be buying light and paying for office printing, transport and paying for events out of pocket etc… it was those days that we did the Pitch Series.
It became very clear to me very quickly, that if we were to achieve anything… a complete tunnel vision was needed. Complaining was never my style and explaining or going on radio stations to confront untruths was not the answer either… I didn’t have the mental space… I was fighting a war outside and having earthquakes at home. My own tribe was eating me up and I had to play psychologist to my perplexed team… they just couldn’t understand the massive hate…
In 2022… we all got our first salaries… thank God… but money was still so tight and we still had inadequate office space, no car for work, nothing… even the machines used at the office was personal to many of us. Everything you have seen online was edited on my personal machine.
Last Friday, madam Kafui Danku was announced as the new Executive Secretary. Congratulations madam. I wish you all the success.
I remember vividly a day when I was caught between two male bosses. one lifted me up bodily and shoved me into the arms of another, insisting that I give him a hug! The latter hugged me and made the comment ‘maybe, I am the one who will marry you one day’… that night, I scrubbed myself until my skin was tender… I felt dirty.
I am 50 years old and I have just lost my job. So I can afford to say this… may another woman never suffer this…
Or should I speak about the woman that called me stupid and all manner of things I can’t say here and banged the phone on me, simply because I tried to do a good industry event? My staff held my hands and told me to be strong… may a woman never do this to another woman…
I recently heard someone say about me ‘people just don’t like her’ 😅… firstly, that’s not true. Many people love me… but anyhow, I am not here for likes… and I am sure even you don’t like yourself all the time…
many are carrying some people’s fights and buying hate they don’t even understand. But… thank you 😊… I am grateful to you. Your dislike puts fire under my butt. I love you. because of you, I can’t be lazy.
I want to say a big thank you to many who helped us along the way. Some even bought flight tickets to help me travel to conduct Government work. There are still staff volunteers that have never been paid at NFA, but they still continue to serve diligently.
Recently I heard someone say we are jokers… well let’s joke a bit joker…
I will start with the name dropping: I have 4 certificates from Harvard. I mentored at MIT Legatum school of business and I am a Legatum and Aspen Fellow…
Now go and research that Mr. Joker… and it is your turn… let’s go!
You have no idea the intelligence and god spirit it takes to be a creator…
Many times I enter a room and they say, oh, you represent the jokers… ☺️
I always make sure it is clear who is the joker by the time l leave…
THAT’S THE WAY TO PLAY THE GAME MY GUYS… SHOW THEM THAT WE ARE NOT JOKERS NOR JOKING
What is next? Someone asked me… well, Loads of eating… dramas, getting fat and sleep…
By the way, please get Kafui an office and a car so she can work properly and not have to carry out Government work from her living room like I had to do… (some compensation to me for all the expense will be good… but I am not about to hold my breath)
The little money I raised for office and car by the end of last year has been cleared from the accounts by the Bank of Ghana before we could get the office and get the office vehicle
And whiles you are at it, please send me my lay off letter. It is only respectful to both CEOs to ask the sitting to go in writing before appointing another… or isn’t it?
And oh, insulting me in front of my staff like that and threatening them was so unnecessary my love you are the boss after all… it was so dishonorable by all accounts
IF THERE IS ANY REGRET, IT IS THAT I COULD NOT FINISH THE WORK…
And oh, I am so happy we are finally embracing the name Black Star are we still against ‘Black Star films’ at this point?
Some have asked me: why didn’t you resign? I am not the kind of mother who abandons my baby and jumps ship! I still got the birthing scars on me…
I want to say a big thank you to the people of Ghana and my sector for giving me the privilege to serve…
But Yaa… I am about to make my way back to you… be patient… and thank you for waiting.
May the universe bear witness to my words…
Asè
FREEDOM HAS COME
#yaamusings
#JulietAsante
#YaaAsantewa
