Entertainers Shatta Wale and Agya Koo are said to have been paid a whopping 2 million cedis by Exim Bank Ghana.
Members of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday, September 9, 2020, demanded an explanation as to why Exim Bank Ghana paid such amount of money to the dancehall artiste and others to act as brand ambassadors to help the bank's agenda to promote made-in-Ghana products.
Exim Bank Ghana is reported to have signed the contracts on 30th August 2020.
A member of the Committe, Hon. Ras Mubarak was the one who raised eyebrows over the deal and probed the managers of the bank.
Hon. Ras Mubarak called for an inquiry into the deal saying “I mentioned GHC2 million that went to Shatta Wale but the Deputy CEO says they wouldn’t know who the vendor selected and this is not to say that we have a problem with Shatta Wale getting some amount of money to do whatever work.
“But the Ghanaian public deserves to know how much went out and who got it because their answers were not satisfying.”
Making his submissions regarding the Exim Bank deal, Arnold Asamoah Baidoo has also sought further investigations to unearth the truth.
He sided with the Member of Parliament that the deal has been shrouded in secrecy and wondered why the lack of disclosure.
Arnold explained that as a State-owned bank, it behoves the management to furnish Ghanaians with the details because the money belongs to Ghanaians.
Speaking on Peace FM's 'Entertainment Review' programme, he disclosed his checks with the bank's website didn't show a single picture or any evidence to prove that there was any ambassadorial deal or event between the bank and the entertainers, particularly Shatta Wale.
He admittedly added that his issue has nothing to do with the amount of money to Shatta Wale as the dancehall artiste has built a strong brand to be paid large sums but he strongly demanded accountability and transparency.
Looking at Shatta Wale's following and influence in Ghana's entertainment industry, the entertainment analyst believed if the dancehall artiste was given an ambassadorial role, it would be published for all to see.
''If you're signing a deal with high-profile personalities like Shatta Wale and Agya Koo to actually project made-in-Ghana products and you're launching it, no photographs, no newsletter, no press release, nothing and 15 per cent has been paid for work done...It's confounding. It beats my mind," Arnold said on ''Entertainment Review''.
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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