According to him, the interview was canceled due to “orders from above”.

He added that, this incident brought back memories from his abruptly canceled Convention on January 7, 2024, at Black Star Square.

“We are sorry to announce that my interview with @GTV_Ghana has been cancelled at the last minute by “orders from above”. This has brought back memories of The Convention,” he shared in an X post.

Cheddar was scheduled to be on GTV on Wednesday 17th January 2024.

See post below:

We are sorry to announce that my interview with @GTV_Ghana has been cancelled at the last minute by “orders from above”. This has brought back memories of The Convention. #TheNewForce The Voice of the people. https://t.co/FqlcUpAuPl

— Nana Kwame Bediako (@OsagyefoNKB) January 17, 2024

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According to the NLA, the termination was as a result of concerns raised over the quality of production after its new Director-General, Samuel Awuku assumed office.

The services, according to the NLA, were not giving them value for money and Mr Awuku, therefore, had to engage the technical crew to invite their Management for a meeting on the concerns.

“Management of GTV never showed up for any meeting after several invitations through its technical crew neither did engagements with the technical crew yield any result.

“NLA, therefore, decided to terminate the contract in accordance with the provisions of Clause 15.0,11.1a of the Contract between GBC and NLA which enjoins any of the parties with the right of termination,” NLA explained in a statement.

This follows questions raised by media personality, Kwasi Kyei Darkwah, (KKD) on why a private media outfit, United Television (UTV) was chosen over GTV.

But to NLA though it is sympathetic to the state-owned media, they were at the time seeking to grow its audience to increase its revenue base for national development and thus needed to discuss these issues.

“NLA, therefore, took steps to engage another Ghanaian-owned Television Station, United Television which had national coverage and viewership and appealed the most to its target audience. UTV’s contract is for a period of one year from December 2021 to December 2022.

“At the time of engagement with UTV, it was the second highest station with national coverage and viewership according to the 2019 media data research by geopoll.com, a research website that provides remote mobile-based research in Africa, Asia and Latin America,” NLA noted.

The authority explained apart from its national coverage and high viewership, UTV was the television station that simultaneously appealed to NLA’s target audience, particularly Lotto Marketing Companies, Private Lotto Operators, and was willing to give the Authority a similar deal with greater returns.”

Below is the full statement:

This will be effective from March 15, 2021, from 6:45 pm – 7:pm.

A statement, signed by the Public Relations Unit of the NLA, said in order to safeguard the reputation, integrity and credibility of the NLA and its associated products and services, it has become very imperative to re-introduce the live draw.

It said the rationale behind bringing back the draws is to maintain and strengthen the transparency of the operations of NLA, maintain credibility, the integrity of the Authority’s lotto draws and increase the sales and revenue generation for government and consolidated fund for national development.

“The live draw is also to educate the general public about the draw processes and procedures of the NLA, combat and eradicate the activities of illegal lottery operations and to combat and eradicate the activities of Lotto Fraudsters and Scammers,” the statement added.

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It said the live draws for the 5/90 Lotto would help to demystify the wrong perceptions in the lottery industry and bring lasting confidence to all stakeholders in the Industry.

 A statement, signed by the Public Relations Unit of the NLA, said any other platform operating digital lottery shortcode is illegal.    

 It said investment had gone into the development and running of the official shortcode of NLA, *959#.

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The statement added the only licensed online lotto marketing company responsible for the operation of *959# on behalf of NLA is KGL Technology Limited.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the live draw on GTV and shortcode operated by Alpha Lotto limited is illegal and in total breach of the laws governing the lottery industry.

“The Authority shall take steps to address the illegality but we will use the opportunity to caution and instruct Alpha Lotto Limited and GTV to stop the live draw of its illegal shortcode for 5/90 with immediate effect,” the NLA noted.
       

Mr Rawlings in a social media post Thursday night said a GTV news anchor on Wednesday, September 11, tagged the late former Zimbabwean president as a rebel leader.

It is unclear who the news anchor is as Mr Rawlings failed to state the name in the post.

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Though he said he has not lost sight of the “disproportionate influence” of some western countries over the local media, he said it was shocking and disheartening for the news anchor to denigrate such an African freedom fighter.

“…to hear the newsreader on GTV yesterday refer to the late Mugabe, a former freedom fighter and leader as a rebel leader, was not only shocking but truly disheartening” he tweeted.

“A rebel leader?” he asked rhetorically, stating it was “unbelievable” to hear that from the mouth of a Ghanaian newsreader on national television.

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Below is his Tweet

…to hear the news reader on GTV yesterday, refer to the late President Mugabe, a former freedom fighter and leader as a rebel leader was not only shocking… pic.twitter.com/oNTF2D3VKY

— Jerry John Rawlings (@officeofJJR) September 12, 2019

As Zimbabwe’s first post-independence leader, he ruled until 2017 when he was ousted by a military coup.

Mr Mugabe, who was 95, died last week while undergoing medical treatment in a Singapore hospital.

His body will lie in state at the Rufaro football stadium in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, for two days as part of a state burial being given the man who has been declared “a national hero” by the ruling Zanu-PF party.

Source: 3news