Entertainment of Tuesday, 16 February 2016

Source: Maxwell Amoofia

I could have sued Airtel Ghana if … – Kwame Gyan

Kwame Gyan Kwame Gyan

Two years ago, Airtel Ghana was compelled to suspend its Brands and Communication manager, Kwame Gyan over a supposedly violent comment he posted on his private Facebook page.

A line from that post which read ‘I wish we had guts like the people of Ukraine’ generated several criticisms in 2014 with many calling for the head of the former employee of Airtel Ghana.

The comment by Kwame Gyan coincided with the period of the Ukrainian revolution of dignity in February 2014, marked by series of violent events involving protesters, riot police, and unknown shooters which culminated in the ousting of the democratically-elected President, Viktor Yanukovych.

Critics of Kwame Gyan’s comment at the time felt that the Airtel Ghana Employee was calling for a coup in Ghana.

In an interview on ‘The Big X Show’, hosted by Real Eugene on Radio Univers, the former Brands and Communication manager of Airtel Ghana revealed that he would have gone ahead to sue the Telecommunications Company had he been sacked over the post on his private Facebook Page.

‘Airtel were being compelled to do what they were doing… But if they had sacked me, I would have sued.’

‘I was told by a very good lawyer that if I had sued, it could have made me so much money that I could retire and not work for the rest of my life’, Kwame Gyan continued.

The outspoken blogger added that he declined the numerous invitations for interviews to save the brand of Airtel Ghana at that time.

‘I kept on getting request for interviews. Everybody called for an interview, the BBC called as well. I told my MD that if I talk, it is going to get the situation worse. So I wasn’t going to do any interviews. I will say nothing about this.’

The communications professional indicated that he was delighted when Airtel Ghana drew and implemented a Social Media Policy after the hullabaloo over his post on Facebook which had Ghanaians talking for weeks.

‘As at that point in time, Airtel didn’t have a Social Media Policy. Because of me they drew up one. I kinda felt good.’

Two years on, Kwame Gyan has resigned as the Brands and Communications Manager of Airtel Ghana.

He has now moved to Global Media Alliance and taken up the role of Head of Brands Communication and Marketing. Aside this role, the high profile blogger will also be the Host of E.TV Ghana’s news and current affairs show, ‘State Of The Nation’