It was an ugly scene at Atinka Television premisses at about 7: 45pm on Saturday. Gh Press had earlier in the day gathered that Atinka Tv had unprofessionally taken off ‘Time With CPP’ show without any written notice.
Co-host of show, Lady Joyce Larbie told GhPress that she had gone to the TV station with the Producer of the show, a Technical Support Staff and a regular panel member Comrade Habib who doubles as the director of elections only to realize that the make-up room, M.C.R and Main Studio were under lock and Key.
Background
Joyce Larbie said, the office of Nana Akosua Frimpomaa, chair and leader of CPP recieved a call from the news editor in the afternoon of Saturday to confirm that ‘Time With CPP’ will air at 8pm contrary to earlier speculations and that the said Deputy Managing Director Mr Poku had consulted with said faceless ‘order from above’ only to be called again after two hours to announce that the same ‘order from above’ has insisted on taking the program off air.
‘It should go on record that ‘Time With CPP’ has been a pay-to-air show on Atinka TV since October 2020. Management of Atinka Tv recieve cheques and physical cash from Nana Frimpomaa on weekly and monthy basis as dictated by the terms and conditions on contracts signed. Infact some staff of the station confirm that Nana Frimpomaa on weekly basis expresses her generosity towards them at the end of the show.
At Atinka Tv
On reaching the Atinka Tv premisses, Joyce Larbie and her team exchanged pleasantries with the security detail stationed at his post. He accordingly welcomed them and gave them permission to carry on. At the 2rd floor Joyce realized that the Make-up room was locked. According to her she moved to the Studio and main MCR also to realize all were under lock and key. She said that was very unusual. For some five minutes nobody was seen to offer any assistance or give information on the current development. Joyce Larbie continued: ‘I overhead some voices from an adjourning office, knocked and entered. We met one lady who we later got to know was the programs manager and two other gentlemen. The programs manager in an unusual tone and demeanor told is that ‘ Time With CPP’ is off the schedule so we should move out. She at a point started laughing indicating that there’s nothing we can do to change the order. The issue got heated in the adjourning MCR as Joyce insisted on speaking to the soo called coward hiding behind ‘order from above’. One staff in the MCR told Joyce that the DMD Mr Poku left his office unannounced probable to avoid the CPP team.
At 20:16 hours, the security man at post led us to the stations accountant Mr Daniel Adjetey. After narrating our story to him, his very first comment was ‘this is not fare’. Mr Adjetey added that he had not been informed of any such instruction since he was the very person who recieved CPPs airtime pay cheques from Nana Frimpomaa. The accountant confirmed that he had in custody the last cheque issued by Nana Frimpomaa. He called the DMD Mr Poku on his call phone only to be told not to entertain us. The team left the premisses at 23 hours GMT.
Gh Press will keep you posted on further developments.
GH PRESS CENTRE 