The Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) says it in possession of the awards won by controversial Dance Hall artiste Shatta Wale at the just ended 2014 Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.
It follows reports in the media that the awards have gone missing days after the event.
The self acclaimed ‘Dancehall King’ did not attend the awards last Saturday at the Accra International Conference even though he picked up three awards on the night. A lady picked up all the three awards – Artiste of the Year, Reggae/Dancehall Song Of The Year, and the Vodafone Most Popular Song Of The Year.
A source close to the organizers explained to Myjoyonline.com that Shatta Wale refused to show up for the awards because of a rift over his performance fee for the awards night.
The source said when the artiste was approached by the organizers to perform at the awards, he charged them GHc70,000 as performance fee and several attempts to beat down the price proved futile.
Shatta Wale had declared on Drive Time on Joy FM Monday that he was yet to receive the awards and did not even know the lady who picked up the awards on his behalf.
MUSIGA reacting to the reports said in a statement, copied to Myjoyonline.com that, “It has come to the notice of the MUSICIANS UNION OF GHANA of news making rounds that Shatta Wale’s awards are missing.”
“We wish to state that all the three Awards are with MUSIGA and not missing as reported,” the statement said.
MUSIGA explained that, Shatta Wale, who is a member of MUSIGA, asked the President of MUSIGA, Bice Osei Kuffour (Obour) to pick any award he may win on the night on his behalf “since he was not going to be able to attend the event.”
MUSIGA said the lady who picked up the awards on behalf of Shatta Wale was not a mysterious person stating it was the Obour who delegated her to pick up the award.
“The lady who received Shatta Wale’s awards on the night was a special guest of MUSIGA who is also a big fan of Shatta Wale and the Shatta Movement. She is a very respectable and honourable person and we wish to apologise for any harm caused to her as a result of the publication.”
The statement added that arrangements have been made for Shatta Wale to pick his three awards from MUSIGA.