Ghanaian entrepreneur Nana Kwame Bediako, popularly known as Cheddar, has refuted a claim made by the Diaspora Affairs Directorate at the Office of the President that his organisation paid GH₵10,000 instead of GH₵30,000 for the pan-African event at the Black Star Square on Sunday, January 7, 2024.
During an interview with TV3 on Thursday, he disclosed that no refund had been received despite the cancellation of the event just one hour before its commencement, as stated by the Diaspora Affairs Directorate in their letter.
“I did not pay GH₵10,000 and no one has given me money. I wouldn’t even touch it. Who will spend GH₵300, 000 which is over three million cedis and somebody will tell you to take GH₵10,000.00 and you go for it, what for?”, he added.
He further expressed confusion about the letter, noting that it referred to the venue as Black Star Line Festival instead of New Africa Foundation, the intended organization.
BACKGROUND
In press statement issued by the New Africa Foundation on Sunday night (Jan 7), explained that “The Convention”, a Pan African event, which was to take place today at the Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana has “been cancelled by the Government.”
“We regret to inform you that the Government has cancelled the above Pan African Event which was to take place today at the Independence Square in Accra, Ghana. All the special guests have arrived and thousands of people have come from all over Ghana as well as around the globe for this historic event.”
“We have just been informed of the cancellation of this event a couple of hours before its commencement. This event was approved by the government in November of 2023. This came as a shock to us and a devastation to our dignitaries and special guests who flew in from around the world.”
“We at the New Africa Foundation apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused to our audience and the public alike. Please be aware that this situation is and was beyond our control,” the statement said.
