As part of measures to fight against the transmission of Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Ministry of Communications mobilized some entertainers in Ghana to spice up launch of an app to encourage people to test for the virus and also track individuals infected by the virus or who may have come into contact with COVID-19 patients.
The app dubbed ''COVID-19 Tracker'' was launched amidst performances from Dancehall artiste Shatta Wale, Hiplife singers Kuami Eugene, Fancy Gadam, Highlife singer Kaakyire Kwame Appiah, gospel musicians Diana Asamoah, Isaiah Kwadwo Ampong affectionately called Great Ampong among others.
Following the event, there were rumors of agitations between the artistes pointing out that some of them have registered their resentments over the payment made to them to perform. Some of the artistes are said to have been underpaid while others like Shatta Wale received higher amounts.
Shatta Wale was quoted to have been paid about GHC 100000 and the rest received GHC 40000 to GHC 5000, making the artistes with low payment furious and calling out the Ministry of Communications for somehow cheating them.
Addressing the issue, the Minister of Communications, Ursula Ekuful-Owusu debunked claims of paying the artistes, stressing the Ministry didn't give them a dime to perform during the launch of the COVID-19 Tracker app and Shatta Wale has also dismissed reports that he was given a performance fee.
But in an interview with Akwasi Aboagye on Peace FM's ''Entertainment Review'', Member of Parliament for South Dayi, Hon. Rockson Nelson Dafiamepkor called on the Ministry of Communications to come clear on the issue and be transparent with Ghanaians because, to him, the Ministry has lied to entertainment fans and the entire nation.
He divulged that he is privy to the details of the event and stated categorically the launch of the Tracker app cost Ghana a whopping GHC 1.4 million.
He asserted that the Ministry paid all the artistes and the Television station that hosted the event, GH One TV.
''They spent 1.4 million. They gave money to the musicians...The whole event cost 1.4 million and it is a waste of money'', he alleged.
He further corroborated claims that the artistes who were billed for the event are at each other's throats over the unfair amount of monies paid to them.
''I want the Ministry of Communications to make the account public...I know some collected 100000 and others received 40000...I can forward information to you...What we're saying is that the Ministry should be transparent and give an account of the event'', he told the host.
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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Guys, please I know people that make comments here all want the good of our country, please it is time we let these politicians know we are not dump but wise. We need to let them know our political space can not contain all of us but a few but they should not take we not in the political space for granted or think we can not reason. We should strict prove their comments. WE SHOLD LET THEM KNOW THERE IS A NEW WAVE BLOWING AND THE POLITICS OF OLD, LIES, COMMENTS WITHOUT PROVE WILL NOT BE ENTERTAINED. I am an NDC man but not block headed, I have brain of my own to reason logically.
@Don Biko, I must disagree with you on this. It is high time we let our politicians know we are wise. They can not come and bundle figures around and go free without providing evidence. I agree MPs are to check the executives spending but HE WHO ALLERGS MUST PROVE. In this case Rockson has just bundled any figure around and is calling on the minister to come clean. With this I am also saying the cost is GHC 2.4 million. The minister should come and clear the air. Don Biko, we can not run a country like that. Trust me, this MP may use charts of supposedly disgruntled performers on social media as his evidence if pushed to the wall. We need to strict prove peoples comments so they do not infect us with lies. About the need for the app, it is absolutely needed. I will not blow you more about your ignorance, please read more about the use of apps to fight covid-19 in countries like south Korea, Germany, Japan just to mention a few. In china the apps lets me identify your risk level before you are allowed into a premise should you move from one area to another. Please read about that too.
I remember bus branding, kanazoe ford, guinea fowls to Burkina, tree planting, airbus bribe, SSNIT deals, ambulances that cannot even carry dead bodies..... These NDC people are very good at criticising but cleaver at st.ealing. This Dafeamekpor guy is one of noisiest in parliament with no meaningful contribution to debates. We must reduce our MPs from 275 to 150. Too many of them are use11ess.
Look at his unkempt hair and face! if it were to your era, it would have cost the nation x4. Evil and corrupt minded cohorts
1.4 million dollars for an app and concert, boys edidi papa. Eiiii ghana ay3 d3d33d3
Over bloated budget? Bring your budget for thst if ndc were in power do you think everyone is a ***barred word*** like the ndc? Let him bring evidence if he is a good lawyer because Akufo Addo as a lawyer wouldnt talk anyhow ,no wonder ndc lawyers never win cases. You talking about accountability ? Hw3 ? Have you responded to the Air bus and now the Turkey Aska energy company ? International conmen Dont bring yourselves! Is ndc money missing in Ghana? Agyimifuo ! If ndc were in power no Ghanaian would be alive today ! Nkwaseafuo like that have mouths to talk in Ghana! Irritants
@Kpodo, do not ride on emotions with this cheap and populist theory of "saving lives" to encourage over bloated budgets. You don't need to inflate costs to save lives. As a matter of fact we need to save money and judiciously spend money if we are really serious about saving more lives. The app is needless because the people who are likely to patronize the app are already properly informed about covid-19 and are adhering to the protocols. A government that is cash-trapped and is borrowing left, right and center can afford to spend GHC1.4million on an app that adds no real value to the fight and no one sees anything wrong with it? Added to the borrowing is a very bleak future for the economy with a lot of unknowns and one would think every pesewa will be safe-guarded and only spent when there is an absolute need! And here you have @kpodo insulting an MP whose duty it is to check the excesses of executive!
This pandemic will make millions for some immoral Ghanaians. But trust me, the pass over principle of God will apply eventually!!
STUIUID people like this Dafiamakpor only know the cost of verything but do not know the value of anything. What is GHS1.4m as compared to the lives that will be saved with this software? A dum lawyer who couldn't win any single case and therefore found solace in parliament.