Accra, Nov. 7, GNA - The Vodafone Rewards Promotion suffered an anti-climax on Friday because the owner of the number drawn for the ultimate one million-dollar reward, 0203933311, could not be reached.

Several attempts by the host of the draw, Fiifi Bamson, to reach the owner proved futile.

The incident came as a shock to the audience, some of whom attributed it to the work of spiritual forces.

The draw of the ultimate winning number was amidst pump and pageantry, characterised by the release of colourful balloons and the blowing of trumpets by a four-man police team from the balcony of the house slated to be won.

The unidentified winner of the ultimate prize has for his or her grasp fully furnished four- bedroom house, Mitsubishi Pajero and one year internet connectivity.

Mr. Isaac Abraham, Communications Manager of Vodafone Ghana told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that, as per the rules, Vodafone would keep trying to reach the winner over the next 48 hours, adding "if we are not able to reach him, we will pass the prize unto the next number in the roll." Asked what the next number in the roll was, he said every number drawn had a back-up, so the owner of the back-up number drawn for the ultimate reward would be given the prize if the original winning number remained off or out of coverage area.

Mr. Abraham said the winning number was one of the newly activated numbers on the Vodafone network and so it was possible that the user did not always keep it active.

Meanwhile, several other numbers were drawn for 300 Vodafone branded phones, 50 ipods, five laptops, 10 GHC2,000 scholarships, four Yamaha motorbikes and one Mitsubishi Pajero.

Mr. Akwasi Amponsah, a Building Contractor with Jakwako Construction Limited in Kumasi, was the proud winner of the 4X4 Mistubishi Pajero. When Fiifi Bamson reached Mr. Amponsah on phone and told him he had won a car, his first response was "ok yieeeeee", then he spoke in Twi "me dea fie no na nka me pe oo" meaning "I would have preferred the house instead." Mr. Amponsah later told the GNA on phone that he had one pick-up already, adding that he might use the new car or sell it and buy a smaller car and invest the rest of the money.

The ultimate draw brought three months of promotion, in which Vodafone gave away at least four 4x4 Mitsubishi Pajeros, 16 Yamaha Motorbikes, 20 laptops, 200 ipods, GHC8000 worth of scholarships and 1,200 mobile phones. About $2.2 million was spent on the promotion, including the one million-dollar ultimate prize. 7 Nov. 09