No one assured Shatta Wale an award - George Quaye

George ‘Aboagye’ Quaye, head of Media, Brands and Communication for Charter House, has expressed disappointment at attempts to make it seem Shatta Wale was assured of an award at the just ended Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA).

Shatta Wale on Saturday published on his Facebook page portions of a private conversation he had with George Quaye on Whatsapp.

In the said chat, George had said: “As for the award, Massa, no shaking. I dey with you and I believe everything will go well.”

The publication of the above statement by Shatta Wale attracted several comments and was interpreted to mean George was assuring the musician of an award.

Shatta Wale, however, did not add what George had further stated in the same conversation: “Anyway thanks bro. Appreciate it. I still believe it’s going to be a great night for you. Let’s continue to stay positive, VOTE AND LEAVE THE REST TO GOD. WISH YOU ALL THE BEST BRO, GOB BLESS.”

In explaining the chat, George said prior to the VGMA, Charter House had meetings with some artistes and their managers including Shatta Wale and his management.

“A lot of issues came up during the meeting some of which included Shatta Wale asking us to assure him that he was going to win an award because it will be very difficult for him to come to the event and not win an award. We made it clear to him that there was no way we could give him that assurance. No one at Charter House can give me that assurance,” he stated on NEAT FM’s Entertainment Ghana.

Aboagye disclosed that after the meeting, he picked up signals that Shatta Wale “needed some kind of encouragement” for him to be present at the event.

“It is just like someone who is going to write an exam and I say to him that this exam you are going to write don’t worry, I’m behind you and I can assure you that everything will be fine. Have I said anything wrong? From the Whatsapp conversations we had, which part of it says ‘come I will give you an award?” he quizzed.

Reports said Shatta Wale released the private chat he had with George Quaye on Whatsapp to prove to his fans that indeed he demanded GH¢70,000 from Charter House which they could not afford.

Meanwhile, a few days after the Whatsapp chat went viral; several individuals have accused George Quaye and his outfit of lack of transparency in the entire voting and award system at the VGMA.

But George stressed that the collation of results was handled by KPMG, the event statisticians, and therefore it was not possible for anyone to have promised an award to any artiste before the main event.