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Ghana no longer hosting AFRIMA 2019, 2020

The 2019/2020 editions of the All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), would no longer be hosted by Ghana this year as scheduled, following decision by the International Committee of AFRIMA to withdraw the  rights from Ghana  from hosting this prestigious entertainment event.

The hosting rights had been withdrawn over what it said was over the country’s  lack of capacity to meet the financial and contractual obligations entered to on July 12, 2018, necessary to retain hosting the biggest music event.

The decision was reached on Monday, July 15, this year, after several months of meetings and consultations with relevant stakeholders to remedy the situation with the expectation that the ‘Republic of Ghana would provide concrete assurances and guarantees to discharge its contractual obligations for hosting the next two editions of AFRIMA.’

The International Committee said it was working to determine a new host country for the 6th edition of the annual awards, and with an announcement expected anytime this month on the matter.

 Mr Rikki Stein, the International Advisor, AFRIMA, said: “It was a hard decision for us to withdraw the awards hosting rights for the next two editions from Ghana.

“Our concerns are genuine and worrying. We must see a commitment from the host country government to secure suitable venues in advance for holding awards and events, to provide accommodation and to process visas -on-arrival for guests and other relevant stakeholders attending the awards,” he stated.

 However, Mr Stein said organisers could not afford to compromise on the standards of the vision of AFRIMA to create a truly African brand that connects Africans and build the equity of Africa, adding that the situation faced in Ghana had the potential to erode the successes achieved through the awards in Africa.

It would be recalled that the decision of the African Union (AU) and AFRIMA to award a three-term hosting right (2018-2020) of the awards to Ghana followed the declaration of the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo Addo, of his desire to host the AFRIMA awards in Ghana.

BY JEMIMA ESINAM KUATSINU

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