Who is telling the truth? Has Ghana offered a British Public Relations Consortium ?22 billion to improve the country?s image abroad? Assistant Government Spokesperson, Kofi Amponsah Bediako insists that he is telling the truth when he denies that no such contract exists. His Boss, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey also swears that he is telling the truth when he confirms that a contract has indeed been awarded to a British Consortium to improve Ghana?s image. Mr. Obetsebi Lamptey did not however disclose the amount involved.

The controversy began when a British newspaper, ?The Guardian? reported that the President of Ghana has hired a consortium to improve his country?s image abroad.

The newspaper put the cost of the contract at 2 million pounds (?22 billion). When the Guardian report was culled by the independent Ghanaian media, Mr. Amponsah Bediako?s reaction was quick and emphatic. ?No contract valued at 2 million pounds or any other amount or currency has been awarded to any British consortium to rebrand Ghana.

The truth of the matter is that having realized the need to push Ghana ahead of other countries in Africa to attract global confidence and foreign investment into the country, the Ministry of Information organized a workshop involving Ghanaian experts in public relations, marketing, advertising on branding Ghana,? he said.

Mr. Amponsah Bediako even suggested that the government of Ghana may in future seek foreign assistance to ?market? the country. In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Mr. Obetsebi Lamptey contradicted what Mr. Amponsah Bediako has said and confirmed the existence of the contract. He justified the contract by pointing to other countries, which had engaged public relations companies to improve their image.

Some of the companies cited by Mr. Obetsebi Lamptey included Scotland, New Zealand and Malaysia. Writing on the controversy, Franz Vanderpuye of ?The Nation? magazine quoted Mr. Fritz Baffour, a Public Relations consultant as saying that ?it is difficult to see how any one can successfully isolate Ghana within the sub-region and make a case for it?. Mr. Baffour?s position is shared by many who see the contract as a waste of the country?s resources.