John Dumelo Dismissed as ‘Unserious’—But Is Ghana’s Parliament Any Better? 

This evening, I watched Joy News’ coverage of Hon. Habib Iddrisu, the Member of Parliament for Tolon Constituencytelling John Dumelo during his vetting: “If you go to the Ministry, try to assist your Minister. The Ministry is huge, and you should not try to jump the gun. And also note that when you go to the Ministry, you are not in your movie industry as you are. Try to be as serious as you can so that you can be able to assist your Minister to succeed,”. By import, the film industry is not a serious one.

I find this comment not only disappointing but deeply problematic.

First, let’s address the elephant in the room: what exactly makes someone “serious” enough for parliament?

Nowhere in Article 94 of the Ghanaian Constitution, which stipulates the qualifications for becoming an MP, does it mention one “must never have worked in the creative arts” or “must be deemed sufficiently serious by Hon. Iddrisu.” No professional qualifications whatsoever are required.

The irony is breathtaking. Hon. Iddrisu speaks of “seriousness” while sitting in the same Parliament where members have recently broken tables, shoved colleagues, thrown punches, engaged in scuffles and traded insults during official proceedings. The Appointments Committee—the very forum where this comment was made—has witnessed disgraceful displays of behaviour that would get most professionals immediately sacked from their jobs. Yet a former actor is the one whose seriousness is questioned.

Perhaps we should ask: who is truly unserious here? The professionals who create art, tell stories and contribute to our cultural identity? Or those who break furniture and throw punches in the chambers where our laws are made?

Meanwhile, the creative industry is not a playground for the unserious. It is a rigorous field that demands excellence across multiple disciplines:

• Film directors manage million-dollar budgets and crews of hundreds
• Actors research extensively to authentically portray complex characters
• Producers navigate intricate financing, scheduling and logistics challenges
• Writers craft narratives that shape cultural discourse and national identity

When leaders dismiss the creative sector, they reveal their ignorance about global economic realities. The United States film industry contributes over $200 billion annually to their economy. Nigeria’s Nollywood employs over one million people. South Korea has transformed its economy partly through strategic investment in cultural exports.

Our films preserve our history, showcase our culture, create employment, generate foreign exchange and offer powerful soft power advantages on the global stage. This is not child’s play.

To my fellow creatives: we must organise more effectively and respond swiftly to such stereotypes. Our work matters. Our industry deserves respect. Article 94 doesn’t demand any specific professional background from MPs, but our industry demands creativity, discipline, management skills and cultural understanding that would benefit any legislative body.

It’s time we stopped selling ourselves short. Too many of us leverage our popularity and influence to back politicians who clearly don’t respect our trade but merely use us for campaigns. We dance on their stages, appear in their commercials and mobilise our fans for them—only to be dismissed as “unserious” once the ballots are counted. Perhaps we should ask ourselves: who shows more professionalism? The actors who memorise scripts, hit marks and deliver performances on schedule? Or the parliamentarians who turn the people’s chamber into a wrestling arena?

I call on Hon. Iddrisu to retract this statement and educate himself about an industry that, despite constant undermining, continues to showcase Ghana’s talent to the world. Perhaps watching a few of Mr Dumelo’s films might be a good start to understanding the dedication required in this field.

The irony shouldn’t be lost on anyone that Mr Dumelo’s work has probably reached and impacted more Ghanaians than many political speeches ever will. And now that same creative professional meets all constitutional requirements to serve as a legislator, just like anyone else who satisfies Article 94.

Being on screen isn’t a joke. Making movies isn’t frivolous. It’s time our leaders recognised that creativity and seriousness are not mutually exclusive concepts. And perhaps it’s time they brought some of that “seriousness” they speak of to their chamber before lecturing others.