The Ghana Export-Import Bank has denied paying any ambassador or influencer GHS2 million to promote products made in Ghana.
The clarification comes after the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament flagged the alleged payment of GHS2 million to Ghanaian artiste, Shatta Wale by Ghana’s Exim Bank.
In a statement, the bank clarified that it had not made such a payment to Shatta Wale.
“We wish to state categorically that no amount of such magnitude has been paid to any Ambassador or Influencer. The bank has not doled out GHS2 million to Shatta Wale. This allegation is factually incorrect and misleading.”
The Bank said it had only contracted Shatta Wale and Mr. Kofi Adu also known as Agya Koo to use their influence in the creative industry to promote made-in-Ghana products.
“These renowned brand ambassadors will be using their scale, brand equity, leverage and the pool of their fan bases to garner the needed acceptance, adoption and participation by Ghanaians in the Made-in-Ghana 4P campaign so that the products of the entities that we are lending money to can be patronised for them to pay back and also energise the whole culture of buying and using Made-in-Ghana products in the country,” the statement clarified.
Below is the statement from Exim Bank
PRESS RELEASE
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dear News Editor;
The Management of GHANA EXPORT-IMPORT BANK‘s attention has been drawn to varied reportage in the news media about payment to the tune of GHS 2 million to Brand Ambassadors.
We wish to state categorically that no amounts of such magnitude have been paid to any Ambassador or Influencer.
We further wish to state that, the Bank was invited by the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament to appear before them on Wednesday, 9th September, 2020, to answers certain questions pertaining to the operations of the Bank between 2015 to 2017.
The issues raised by the Auditor-General’s Report within the stated period did not feature any item on the Bank’s intended campaign to promote Made-In-Ghana products.
However, as a forward looking development and policy bank, we seek to invest in our people and businesses while projecting our very essence as a brand that facilitates international trade for and on behalf of Ghana.
Our strategic interventions in Ghana’s economy can be ascertained in the number of Projects and initiatives that have been funded since 2017.
We would like to state that, part of GEXIM’s mandate is to assist in the promotion of locally-produced goods and services to enhance export revenue generation, help reduce import, add value to raw materials for export, and create employment in the country.
In view of this national call, the Bank on Sunday, August 30, 2020, launched a campaign dubbed: Made-in-Ghana 4P. The 4P stands for encouraging Ghanaians to Produce, Promote and Purchase Made-in-Ghana products and services so we can Prosper as a people and nation.
To give this campaign a higher scale and in consonance with promoting Made-In-Ghana products and services, the Bank while following the requisite laid down procurement procedures, have contracted renowned Ghanaian Artistes as Brand Ambassadors and Influencers.
These Artistes are Mr. Kofi Adu (Agya Koo) and Nii Armah Mensah (Shatta Wale). They are known for their exemplary Award-winning exploits within our local Creative Arts Industry and have earned international acclaim for their craft.
Their role, simply put, is to give support, credibility and belief in the Made-in-Ghana agenda which is a personal passion point for them individually as well.
These renowned Brand Ambassadors will be using their scale, brand equity, leverages and the pool of their fan bases to garner the needed acceptance, adoption and participation by Ghanaians in the Made-in-Ghana 4P campaign so that the products of the entities that we are lending moneys can be patronized for them to pay back and also energize the whole culture of buying and using Made-in-Ghana products in the country.
The Bank has not doled out GHS2M to Shatta Wale. This allegation is factually incorrect and misleading.
CNR
