Ladies and gentlemen, first of all, on behalf of the African Movie Academy Awards, I wish to thank you for your support and contributions in diverse ways in making this year’s awards ceremony a success.

As you may be aware during the nominations party held in Accra on independence night, Ghana had 19 nominations out of 24 categories.

Out of the nineteen, Ghana won in six categories namely:
• AMAA Achievement In Sound- I Sing Of A Well
• AMAA Achievement In Costume- I Sing Of A Well (Mabel Germain)
• Best Original Soundtrack – (Adablah)
• Best Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role- Adjetey Annang
• Best Performance By An Actress In A Leading Role – Naa Ashorkor Mensah Doku, Lydia Forson and Jackie Appiah
• Best Director – Shirley Frimpong Manso
• Ghana also got the most coveted awards of the jury award for Best Movie by I Sing Of A Well and a lifetime achievement award to king Ampaw.

It is important to stress that the organizers of the awards had everything worked out in terms of planning and logistics to ensure the event is very successful without any hiccups but like any in establishment however, the organizers had some funding challenges occasioned by the global economic meltdown with the attendant paucity of fund which has affected every sector of the global economy. AMAA organizers could not get the expected funding from sponsors and this created some level of uncertainties but as the saying goes in showbiz the show must go on as the of postponement was not an option to be considered. The inconvenience postponement could cause invited guests and nominees who had planned well in advance for a trip to Nigeria for the show would have been much.

Determined to surmount the challenges, the event organizers were resolute to go ahead with the show, with the intention of reducing cost where necessary. Fortunately and unfortunately, it was almost difficult to reduce the regular thirty places for Ghana since as you may be aware, Ghana this year had 26 nominations leaving only four slots for other persons such as AMAA reps, media, reps of various umbrella bodies etc.

Not minding the challenges earlier mentioned AMAA still bent backwards to accommodate 35 delegates from Ghana, including Ben Brako and other five members of his band for which AMAA paid all their expenses.

I have to state here categorically, in the six years of the AMAA awards, it has been an all expenses paid trip including airfare, hotel, food and drinks. Those who are here and have been on previous trips can testify that.

It is however unfortunate the kind of news making rounds that, for instance that the Ghanaian contingent was stranded. It still remains a mystery where those media houses got that information. I have to also state that at no point did any media house call me for clarification on the situation in Bayelsa, knowing very well that I led the Ghanaian contingent to Nigeria.

To us it is unfair for anyone to think or say that stars like Akofa Asiedu Edjeani, Jackie Appiah, John Dumelo, Lydia forson, Oscar Provical and Kalsoume Sinare,Yaw Boakye and Ekow Freeman were abandoned in Nigeria .

As a matter of fact at no point was any Ghanaian left unattended. Yes of course due to the travel and delays in flight arrangements, we sometimes missed on breakfast. And when we did we were provided with some refreshment.

Unfortunately, one reporter said she only ate once a day in fact I am challenging her to come and tell us on which day she was provided one meal a day. Once again those who were on the trip with us and are here can testify.

We were expected in Ghana on Sunday, 11th of April, but again delayed flight arrangements caused us to leave Bayelsa late only to arrive in Lagos on the night of Monday, by which time no flight leaves for Accra. The whole contingent with exception of those who chose to stay behind on their own left Nigeria on the morning of Tuesday and arrived at the Kotaka international airport at 8:30am.

Ladies and gentlemen, I will like to make a passionate appeal to all media organization and pressmen and women to always endeavor to check the accuracy or otherwise of any information with the right sources to avoid misinformation and misrepresentation of facts.

We wish to recommend the following website for in-depth and accurate information on the AMAA awards and African entertainment news. www.flipsideafrica.com or www.ama-awards.com.

Once again I thank you for your supports a celebration night will be announced for all winners soon. God bless you.

DELIVERED BY JUDITH OLUWOLE KUWORNU ON TUESDAY 20TH APRIL IN GHANA

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