The announcement of nominees for the forthcoming 2024 Telecel Ghana Music Awards has sparked controversy.

Ghanaian blogger and entertainment critic Boga Ali Hashim has expressed his dissatisfaction over the exclusion of Kofi Kinaata from the Songwriter of the Year category.

The annual event, which is marking its 25th anniversary this year, highlights the outstanding musical achievements of Ghanaian artistes across various genres, including Highlife, Hiplife, Afropop, and Traditional Music.

According to Boga Ali Hashim, Kofi Kinaata, a Ghanaian musician and songwriter, deserved to be shortlisted for the Songwriter of the Year award based on his recent hit, "Overthinking," which boasts some of the most meaningful and well-crafted lyrics in the industry.

Boga Ali Hashim further noted that Kofi Kinaata had won the Songwriter Award four consecutive times, making his exclusion this year an unwarranted error by the scheme.

“It is surprising that Kofi Kinaata was not included in the TGMA Songwriter Category despite his consecutive wins for four years in the same category. Moreover, his latest song, "Overthinking," contains some of the most profound and meaningful lyrics. In my opinion, Kofi Kinaata deserved a nomination in the Songwriter Category based on the songs that made it to the list.

"This exclusion appears to be an unwarranted error by the scheme. It is imperative to acknowledge the criticism that such actions may receive from fans, fellow musicians, and the music industry's stakeholders. As such, it is essential to ensure that the nomination process is transparent and impartial to maintain the credibility of the scheme," he said.

The nominees for the Songwriter of the Year category include Perez Muzik, Fameye, DSL, Sarkodie, Akwaboah, and Stonebwoy.

The ceremony is scheduled to take place on June 1st, 2024, in Accra, Ghana.

It is worth noting that the awards have been rebranded as the Telecel Ghana Music Awards following the announcement of the telco as the new headline sponsor.