Last Thursday, President John Mahama appeared on Mr. Adom Otchere’s show “Good Evening Ghana] on which he addressed issues that matters to the state.
But Financial Analyst, Sydney Casely-Hayford on Citi’s Big Issue over the weekend asked how much Adom Otchere was paid to have the President on his show.
He said: “He [Mahama] was on the Paul Adom Otchere show and I don’t know how much ‘soli’ he took.
Franklin Cudjoe also said that the interview was hurriedly done, explaining that “it happened at such speed that it was out of normal.”
Read below Franklin’s apology
Mr Paul Adom-Otchere is an ace broadcast Journalist. I have grown to respect his deep insights on the political economy of Ghana. He is the only broadcast Journalist I know who understands the delinquent behaviour of our major political parties and makes them look and sound deficient in their plans and projects any time he hosts them. And he is a kind man too.
I have lost count of the many kind things he has said of me and IMANI privately to very important persons of this land in the former and particularly current political office who doubted IMANI's cause. I cannot count the many things he has done for me, IMANI in Ghana and abroad with international recommendations.
It was unfortunate that my friend Sydney Casely-Hayford's 'comic-intended question about the ''Soli'' in the context of an interview Paul had with President Mahama has generated such uproar and indignation particularly from Paul. And he is right to be angry as it is a matter the British High Commissioner just last Thursday highlighted and called corruption.
In fact, before the British High Commissioner's views on the subject, OccupyGhana had issued a statement to the effect that ''soli'' was a form of corruption and it did not want to be associated with it. As far as 'soli' is concerned and as far as I understand, Mr. Paul Adom Otchere does not collect ''soli'' from his guests and never will. He certainly has never asked for pesewa from me and IMANI for hosting us and for such prime TV time as his programme is I am thankful.
Let me say that even if the President's interview was hurriedly arranged, which Journalist and media house wouldn't welcome the opportunity especially as Paul says he had been chasing the President for months to be the first ever sitting President who appeared on his show, Good Evening Ghana?
Mr. Sydney Casely-Hayford has apologised to Paul Adom Otchere and the matter should end there. I am hopeful that Mr. Sydney Casely-Hayford has taken notice and Paul will leave the matter to die a natural death. I am sorry that this happened.
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