Glo Dribbles Ghanaian Celebrities

It was all joy and excitement when news came last year that about 17 Ghanaian celebrities ranging from musicians, movie stars and soccer stars have been signed on as brand ambassadors for the new mobile Telecommunication entrant to Ghana; Globacom to throw their already made respective images, behind the Nigerian based company.

The celebrities namely: Nadia Buari, Van Vicker, Junior Agogo, Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Reggie Rockstone, Jackie Appiah, Ayigbe Edem, Asem, Wutah, Tinny, Serifatu, Irene Logan, Paapa Yankson, Amakye Dede, Pat Thomas and Becca (who was unveiled separately). They were reportedly signed for between GH¢50, 000 and GH¢ 100,000.

Though this was a positive development for the celebrities involved and the showbiz industry in general, both Glo and the ambassadors refused to disclose the exact amount in the deal. This gave room for speculations, several unanswered questions, and countless controversies.

The whole hullabaloo started when high life singer Amakye Dede was sidelined in the first phase of branding. The ‘serious’ singer was conspicuously missing on the several giant billboards mounted in town with huge pictures of stars introducing the new brand. At the time, Amakyi Dede said on Peace FM’s “Entertainment Review”: “Glo have signed me and as far as I am concerned, they have not given me any letter saying they have terminated my contract. So for me, I know I am still with Glo. They took pictures of all of us so if they have decided not use my picture, it is their own problem”. As at the time of filing this report, after several months, Amakye Dede’s picture had still not been used.

It’s been one year since the Glo endorsement deal was signed, and almost all the celebrities have not received full payment of their money. According to a source at Glo, most of the celebrities were paid 75% of the full amount and the remaining 25% paid before the end of the contract.

Interestingly, Amakyi Dede, Gyedu Blay Ambolley, Pat Thomas, Paapa Yankson and others who were signed on for one year, ended their contract with the Nigerian based telecommunication company in June this year, but are yet to receive the 25% remaining.

Abrantie Amakye Dede, has been left out of the Glo glory. Speaking on Peace FM’s “Entertainment Review” last Saturday, September 4, 2010 Amakye Dede said:

“Since June when my contract expired, they have not been able to pay me the 25% remaining up till now. They called me, Pat Thomas and Paapa Yankson, and they told us they will renew our contracts and we told them that we are ready; but they have to pay us the remaining 25% before. They agreed to pay us the money in that same week but from the first week of July up till now, I haven’t heard from them. When you call them, they keep postponing the date of payment”, Amakye said.

Gyedu Blay Ambolley also expressed the same sentiment on the program: “We keep communicating with them about renewing our contract and also get our remaining 25%. If these are done and everything is cleared, then we can open a new page, then we move on”, he said. However, Ambolley who traveled outside the country added that he was going to meet with his colleague musicians for an amicable solution.

On his part, “Okukuseku” singer Paapa Yankson said: “Just like Amakye and Ambolley, I also have 25% to receive from Glo”. When host Kwasi Aboagye asked him when and how he intends to get his money, Paapa said “I think the money is in Nigeria that is why it is delaying. So I think they are waiting to give us the money in their own time.

I have spoken to the Glo people but they keep on assuring you to come next time and when you go they tell you to come next week again. They have been doing this since the 30th of June but we will use dialogue to collect our money. I think that all this is happening, perhaps because Glo has not taken off in Ghana yet”, Paapa stated.

Information gathered by peacefmonline.com indicates that all the other Ghanaian Glo ambassadors whose contract ranges between two to three years have also not received their money in full, and they are yet to know if their contract will be extended and when Glo will fulfill their part of the contract. Meanwhile, Glo splashed millions of Naira on its Nigerian ambassadors few days ago, signing new contracts and renewing old ones. Officials of the Globacom in Ghana has refused to comment on the issue.