- NPP confirms payment to journalists at Bawumia's Meet the Press event
- Campaign spokesperson denies paying GH₵20,000, says highest amount was GH₵5,000
- Journalists claim to have received GH₵10,000, contradicting official claims
Dennis Miracles Aboagye, the campaign spokesperson for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, has confirmed that payments were made to journalists who attended Bawumia’s recent Meet the Press event. However, Aboagye refuted claims of higher payments circulating online.
The event, known as BawumiaHostsMedia, took place on Sunday, August 25, at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel in Accra. This media engagement was part of a broader series aimed at furthering the reach of the NPP manifesto shortly after its launch.
Onua TV presenter Captain Smart had suggested that journalists attending the event were paid substantial sums, claiming each received GH₵20,000. This figure has since been disputed.
Fact Check Ghana’s report revealed that while some journalists were compensated, the amounts ranged from GH₵2,000 to GH₵10,000. Aboagye confirmed these figures in an interview with pulse.com.gh. “I haven’t given any GH₵20,000 or GH₵10,000 to any media house. The highest amount of money any media person received was between GH₵2,000 and GH₵5,000. They are all not the same, some were even bloggers,” Aboagye stated.
He further elaborated that journalists who traveled from outside Accra were provided with additional funds to cover accommodation and transportation costs. “Take someone who came from Kumasi or Tamale, for instance. If you give them GH₵5,000 or GH₵7,000 then you [must] add their accommodation and transport to ensure you have covered them,” he explained.
Despite Aboagye’s statements, some journalists who spoke on condition of anonymity reported receiving GH₵10,000. According to these sources, this amount was not intended for covering transport or accommodation. “Some of the journalists who were contacted from outside Accra said they received GH₵10,000, and that was not to cater for their transport or accommodation. Indeed, some journalists based in Accra who were neither accommodated nor flown to Accra also confirmed receiving GH₵10,000,” the report noted.
One journalist corroborated this account, stating, “I received GH₵10,000, not GH₵20,000. They also paid for my flight and accommodation for one night.”
The Bawumia Campaign’s Director of Communication revealed that a total of 220 journalists were invited to the #BawumiaHostsTheMedia event.
As of now, prominent journalists such as Berla Mundi, Paul Adom Otchere, Samson Lardy Anyenini, Evans Mensah, Okatakyie Afrifa, Nana Yaa Brefo, Umaru Sanda, Eugene Nkansah, and Kwadwo Sheldon have yet to publicly comment on the issue.
