Head of Communications for Charterhouse Ghana, organizers of the Ghana Music Awards, George Quaye, has apologized to gospel musicians for his comments that they offer bribes for awards.
Aboagye, as he is popularly known, said on the award-winning show ‘Pundits’ that most offers of bribe that come to him as an Executive of the award scheme are from gospel artists.
He also asserted that some gospel artists also engineer ways to thwart the efforts of other gospel artists who gain nominations in the scheme, an assertion that was corroborated by accomplished music producer, Kwasi Ernest, who was a panel member on the show.
But Mr Quaye in a press statement released on Thursday, January 26, admitted that his “careless statement” was wrong.
He promised never to make such statement again.
On the Tuesday 24th January 2017 edition of the PUNDITS, a talk show that airs on GHOne TV and hosted by myself, I passed a comment that suggested that some gospel musicians had over the years attempted to influence VGMA officials, including me, in a bid to ensure that they won various awards in which they might have been nominated.
The comment was made in the context of the discussion which started our “Dark Side of GH Music Series”. A three part series that will touch on the various intricacies, complications, challenges, foibles of the industry practitioners, temptations and other bottlenecks confronting the music industry in Ghana.
In our discussion of the first part, which asked whether or not the envy, hatred and malice in Ghana’s Gospel fraternity were a myth or reality, with guests, Arnold Asamoah Baidoo, gospel heavyweight, Diana Hopeson and Gospel Artiste Manager and Producer, Kwesi Ernest, I passed the unfortunate comment to buttress points of human nature, hatred and backbiting made by my other guests.
Indeed there is nothing I can say to justify the claims I made on the show and nothing that has been said by anyone even to confirm or support that assertion matters at this time.
As the executive that speaks for the scheme, a comment like that shouldn’t have come from me regardless it’s veracity or otherwise.
If anyone has challenged and asked musicians or industry players that have levelled similar against the scheme to either substantiate with evidence or withdraw and apologise, it has been me.
I therefore take my own advice, totally withdraw and also apologise to the entire Gospel Music Community of Ghana for my rather careless comment.
It was unfortunate and it will not happen again.
THE PUNDITS will continue next Tuesday with the second part of the “Dark Side of GH Music” series and I will render a verbal apology on the show.
Again, I totally apologise for casting that slur on the Ghanaian Gospel Music Industry and any individual who might have been offended in one way or the other.
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