Idikoko raises alarm over FIPAG ‘chop chop’

The Film Producers Association of Ghana (FIPAG) has not accounted for an estimated GH¢63,000.00 (630 million old cedis) it claims to have spent in organizing its recent election of new leaders, an address by past President Augustine ‘Idikoko’ Abbey has revealed.

Idikoko said the money was handled by the Transitional Team and Election Committee that organised the elections and that they spent an additional GH¢5,600.00 (56million) just for the handing over ceremony, but unfortunately, the out-going executive could not account for these transactions due to the absence of adequate information and appropriate source documents such as receipts and invoices, even though the outgoing financial secretary requested these in a letter to the transitional team.

Idikoko lamented that though he and his team handed over an amount of GH¢57,569.27 in May this year, when the transitional team and election committee took over, that amount was reduced to only GH¢7,203.47 as FIPAG’s bank account balance just within six months.

He said before the transitional team and electoral committee took over, FIPAG could boast of some GH¢57,569.27 in its accounts. However, the new handlers of the accounts withdrew an amount of GH¢24,766.80 for the elections.

Idikoko said apart from the GH¢24,766.80, Agya Appiah Bitters sponsored the FIPAG elections with an amount of GH¢30,100.00. He revealed that SKD also sponsored the group with an amount of GH¢3,000.

In total, the GH¢24,766.80 withdrawn from FIPAG accounts, added to the GH¢30,100.00 from Agya Appiah Bitters, the GH¢3,000 from SKD and the GH¢5,600.00 withdrawn for the handing over, raises the expenses on elections and handing over to GH¢63,466.80.

The irony is that while Idikoko was president of FIPAG, he was accused on countless occasions of financial impropriety. It is therefore surprising that at his handing over, he rather accused his successors of dwindling the Association’s account by spending money without accounting for it with proper documentation.

It is also curious to note that several industry players including Host of Peace FM’s Entertainment Review, Akwasi Aboagye and Chief Executive of Slip Music Mark Okraku Mantey who were invited by FIPAG as observers during the elections, publicly complained about the poor conditions the lived under during their stay in Kumasi.

Meanwhile, some members of FIPAG have tasked the new President, Asare Hackman and the executive body to provide an audited report on how monies where spent during the elections and swearing-in ceremony.