'I do not have a house in Accra; I’ve been renting in Accra since 1963 till date'- Paa George

Dorcas Agambila 09:27 - 10 March 2026

Veteran actor, Paa George in kente

Veteran actor Paa George says he has never been able to build a house in Accra despite more than five decades in the city, revealing that the early years of acting in Ghana brought little financial reward.

Veteran Ghanaian actor Paa George has disclosed that despite spending more than five decades living in Accra and over 30 years in the acting profession, he has never been able to build a house in the capital and continues to live in rented accommodation.

Speaking in an interview on Max FM, the seasoned actor explained that although his family owns a house, the property is located outside Accra. As a result, he has had to rely on rented housing since relocating to the city to pursue his acting career.

Reflecting on the early years of Ghana’s film and theatre industry, Paa George revealed that acting was not financially rewarding at the time. According to him, many performers worked mainly out of passion rather than for financial gain, as the industry only began to generate substantial income years later.

He said;

I still rent in Accra; I do not own a house here. I could not build one because there was simply no money at the time. We were doing the work out of passion. My family has a house, but it is not in Accra, so ever since I moved here I have been renting

The veteran actor noted that he has lived in Accra since 1963 and has remained a tenant throughout that period.

I have lived in Accra since 1963 and I have been renting from then until now, in 2026. In the early days there was no real money in acting for those of us who started long ago. By the time the industry began to pay better, many of us already had families and responsibilities

He explained;

He added that much of the money he earned later in life went into supporting his family, particularly funding the university education of his children.

He stated;

I had to pay university fees for my children, so the money I might have used to build a house was instead spent on their education and taking care of the family,

Born on 10 May 1937, Paa George is regarded as one of Ghana’s longest-serving screen actors. He began his acting journey in 1963 and rose to prominence through the popular Concert Party theatre tradition, where he performed alongside renowned entertainers such as Agya Ntow, Bob Vans, Bob Cole and Appiah Agyekum.

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He was also part of the Ebibiman Drama Group, which played a significant role in shaping Ghana’s theatre culture.

In the early 2000s, Paa George experienced renewed popularity in the local film industry, appearing in numerous Ghanaian movies alongside well-known actors including Agya Koo, Mercy Asiedu, Nana Ama McBrown, Kyeiwaa, Michael Afranie and Bill Asamoah.

Despite his long-standing contribution to the entertainment industry, the actor says the realities of the profession in its early years meant financial stability did not always come easily for many pioneers of Ghanaian cinema.

“I do not have a house in Accra. I’ve been renting in Accra since 1963 till date.”

—Veteran Ghanaian actor, Paa George sadly revealed in a recent interview, following rumors of his passing. pic.twitter.com/qiOCB7hwqX
— SIKAOFFICIAL🦍 (@SIKAOFFICIAL1) March 9, 2026

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