General News of Monday, 14 May 2012

Source: The True Statesman

NPP paid Joy fm to hound me out - Bobbie Ansah

Kwabena Bobie Ansah, the sacked host of Ekosii Sen, a political programme on Asempa FM in Accra has revealed that his dismissal from Asempa Fm was a political decision rather than a professional one.

He blamed top officials of the company for scheming with the NPP to get him out of the station. He said he received information from someone within the NPP alleging that some senior officials of the Multimedia Group including the Chief Operating Officer of Asempa fm, Ekyi Quarm were paid GH¢ 20,000 by NPP to get rid of him because of the perception that he was working for the NDC.

In an exclusive interview with Kweku Sintim Misa last Friday night, on the favourite night time programme, Thank God it’s Friday, Nana Kwabena Bobie Ansah exposed the grand scheme hatched by the NPP, Ekyi Quarm as well as Kwesi Twum to get him out of the station, and lashed out at the management of Multimedia Group, owners of the station, for dismissing him without any plausible explanation.

Nana Kwabena Bobbie Ansah did not spare Kojo Oppong Nkrumah of Joy Fm in the role he played and lamented over the actions of the Chief Executive Officer of Multimedia, Kwesi Twum for betraying him with GH¢6,000 as a compensation for his dismissal.

He questioned the integrity of the Multimedia Ltd in relation to press freedom for refusing to condemn the action of NPP hooligans who invaded the Asempa Fm to attack its employees.

“This cannot be press freedom. I hope Kwesi Twum and Multimedia will forever shut up when we are talking about press freedom because when they talk about press freedom, they don’t have any idea.”

“I worked with Despite at Hello Fm and I can say Despite knows how to treat his workers but not Kwesi Twum”, Nana Kwabena Bobbie Ansah added.

He described his time at the station as a wasted period due to how he was pushed out. “Asempa FM is my baby, Ekosii Sen is my child. I loved that station. Kwesi Twum has not been fair to me.” he added.

He denied being on the pay roll of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), explaining that he bought a Land Rover at $15,000 in 2007 when the NPP was still in power and therefore does not rely on the finances of any political party.

Bobbie Ansah was first suspended by his employer following the brouhaha that had arisen on his popular afternoon show (Ekosi Sie Sen) on Wednesday February 22nd 2012, when hundreds of NPP supporters besieged the premises of Asempa Fm threatening to lynch him for what they claimed are unprovoked attacks on its presidential candidate, Nana Akuffo Addo. But for the timely intervention of the police personnel and some private security persons around, the situation would have turned nasty.

Management of Multimedia Company, owners of Joy, Adom and Asempa FM stations among others subsequently took the program, 'Eko Sie Sen' off air when the NPP threatened not to have anything to do with the station again.

Ironically, the management of the station has failed to either lodge a complaint against the NPP militants' attack on the station at the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) or even offer a word of condemnation against that despicable violent behavior of the Anthony Karbo-led all-die-be-die group.

Then on Monday the 16th of April 2012, Nana Bobbie Ansah, who was earlier assured of hosting a yet-to-be launched program, on the station, by the management was handed his dismissal letter without any reasons assigned.

The True Statesman

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