Media personality and Lead Pastor of Grace Avenue Ministry, Timothy Bentum, has expressed disappointment over the lack of support he received from some of his colleagues in the Ghanaian movie industry when he sought their involvement in a drug abuse advocacy campaign.
According to him, he had approached fellow actors, including actress Gloria Sarfo, with the intention of mobilising industry players to support an initiative aimed at raising awareness about drug abuse and its effects on young people.
However, the initiative did not receive the expected response from members of the industry, leaving him disappointed.
He made these revelations during an interview on Joy Prime’s Changes show, where he discussed his experiences with drug advocacy and the need for greater public support in tackling substance abuse.
“I spoke to Gloria Osei Sarfo, in fact, Gloria reached out to me and said Timothy, make we do a session with our people and I even told her I’ll pay for it so we should just get them together. Nobody minded us. Nobody reached out to me,” he told the host Nikki Samonas.
On the contrary, Timothy Bentum revealed that some of his colleagues reach out to him for prayer support but fail to reciprocate when he seeks their involvement in drug abuse advocacy.
He expressed disappointment over what he described as a lack of support from industry players, despite the influence and reach they command as entertainers.
According to him, many of his colleagues appear to be caught up in the pursuit of fame and popularity, often neglecting the importance of personal well-being and using their influence to support meaningful causes.
He believes entertainers have a responsibility to look beyond their celebrity status and actively contribute to initiatives that promote healthy living and address social challenges such as drug abuse.
“People are just enjoying the fame, where they are and what they’re doing. People don’t get time for self-examination and making sure that they do the right things. They think it’s some way. Nobody has time to say let’s sit down and talk sense into our heads and try to become a better group of people in the industry.”
However, he acknowledged that some of his colleagues are individually seeking God, a development he commended and encouraged them to continue.
He nonetheless believes that everyone will face a day of adversity at some point in life, expressing the view that such experiences may eventually compel some of them to abandon their deviant behaviours.
Timothy Bentum further disclosed that he is willing to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA), also known as a confidentiality agreement, to protect the identities of industry players who are willing to support the advocacy but remain sceptical about coming on board publicly.
“It’s not a problem at all. I’m a pastor and that patient-doctor confidentiality is there. So there’s no problem at all,” he said.
He believes celebrities and other public figures have an important role to play in addressing social challenges, particularly drug abuse, which continues to affect individuals, families and communities.
His comments underscore the need for greater collaboration among entertainment industry players in using their platforms and influence to champion social causes.
He further stressed the importance of involving influential personalities in educating young people about the dangers of drug abuse and encouraging positive behavioural change.