Ghana’s Dancehall musician Shatta Wale has openly declared that he will not be a celebrity ambassador for Covid-19 if he won’t be paid for his services.
Shatta Wale in an exclusive interview with 3FM’s MzGee mentioned that if the government wants to engage him to be an ambassador to help in the awareness creation of covid-19 he would not render services for free.
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Adding that once the government charges him tax and their royalties as artists are not rightfully getting to them, he in this regard, taking an ambassadorial mandate for free will not be the best option for him.
“They’re working and they’re getting paid… They’re charging us with taxes here and there and we understand. Our royalties are not getting to us so we’re not even making that kind of money that we have to make; so if the government wants to engage me, Stonebwoy, Sarkodie or any other, they should know that there is something that needs to be done. It’s a tradition.
“We can’t come out and say we’re going to do it for free. I’m not part of their political party. It’s best for them to put a package down. Doing it for free will be very hard for someone like me.” Shatta Wale explained.
Recall that the information minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah announced the government’s intention to engage celebrities in the fight against coronavirus during a recent press conference held in Accra.
According to the minister, government, as part of efforts to educate the public about the pandemic will appoint some celebrities as ambassadors.
Amidst claims those who will be appointed will be paid for the services they’ll render, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said there was no such intention.
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“We were thinking of having them as public education ambassadors or public education champions. I later saw online stories that we have said we are going to use celebrity ambassadors and suggestions that we are going to pay some money; no, that is not happening“. Kojo Oppong said.
The likes of Lydia Forson, Gloria Sarfo amongst others have already availed themselves to be used as ambassadors for the deadly Coronavirus in Ghana.
