Juliet Asante, Former Chief Executive of the National Film Authority (NFA), has opened up about the difficulties she faced while leading the agency, revealing financial struggles, a lack of institutional support, and personal attacks during her tenure.

“When I was appointed in 2020, I had no office, no money, and only a piece of paper in hand,” she recalled. “With just two staff members, we started from my home, drafting strategies to build the agency. But it quickly became clear that no one was interested.”

Asante disclosed that the agency was given only GHC1,000 ($100) in its first year and GHC10,000 ($1,000) in the second, with neither she nor her staff receiving salaries for two years. “We had to fund the operations ourselves—paying for electricity, printing, transport, and even official events from our own pockets,” she said.

She described working under an “antagonistic board” that openly opposed her leadership. “They told me outright that I wasn’t who they wanted,” she revealed, adding that many of her initiatives, including collecting industry data, were blocked.

Asante also recalled a harrowing incident where she endured five hours of verbal attacks from a 13-member board. “I was screamed at to keep quiet, insulted for weeks on multiple WhatsApp platforms—all while dealing with my mother’s illness and struggling to cover her hospital bills.”

Despite these hardships, she remained focused. “Complaining wasn’t my style. I needed tunnel vision to get things done,” she stated. “I was fighting battles outside and dealing with earthquakes at home. My team couldn’t understand the massive hate, but I had to keep pushing.”

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In 2022, the NFA staff finally received their first salaries, but challenges persisted. “We still had no proper office, no work vehicle, and the machines used were our personal property,” she lamented. “Everything you’ve seen online was edited on my own laptop.”

Reflecting on the workplace culture, Asante shared a disturbing encounter with senior officials. “One day, a male boss lifted me up bodily and shoved me into another man’s arms, insisting I give him a hug. The other man hugged me and joked, ‘Maybe I’m the one who will marry you.’ That night, I scrubbed my skin until it was tender—I felt dirty.”

She also recounted an incident where a woman berated her over an industry event. “She called me stupid, insulted me in every way possible, and slammed the phone on me. My staff had to hold my hands and remind me to be strong,” she said. “May a woman never do this to another woman.”

Despite the struggles, she expressed gratitude to those who supported her. “Some even bought flight tickets to help me conduct government work. There are still unpaid volunteers at the NFA who continue to serve diligently.”

Following the appointment of Kafui Danku as the new NFA Executive Secretary, Asante wished her successor well. “Congratulations, madam. I hope you get an office and a car to work with—unlike me, who had to run a government agency from my living room.”

She concluded with a call for respect and professionalism. “And while you’re at it, kindly send me my layoff letter. It’s only respectful to notify a sitting CEO in writing before appointing another, isn’t it?”

Reflecting on her tenure, she admitted, “If there’s any regret, it’s that I couldn’t finish the work.” However, she remained optimistic, declaring, “Freedom has come!”

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