Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) presidential hopeful, Nana Gyedu Blay Ambolley was nearly disqualified from contesting when he went through an over one hour vetting at the MUSIGA offices in Accra yesterday.

Nana Ambolley who called for probe of certain key members of the union was reportedly told by the committee that he was not a good standing member of MUSIGA.

The committee indicated that Ambolley’s membership card did not show he had paid his dues even though it had been endorsed by the union’s president.

Ambolley then explained to the committee, which was dominated by radio presenters who are not musicians, that on renewing his card the union’s officials endorsed it without collecting any money. He explained further that it was also because he was a life patron.

However, the committee doubted his claim of being a life patron which exempted him from paying dues.

He was therefore asked to submit his life patron card to the committee. But Ambolley could not produce it, saying he was not aware the union had a life patron card.

He told the committee that even if he had no card, records at the union’s office would indicate that he was once a vice president of the union and with that, automatically he was a life patron as stipulated in article 14 of the union’s constitution.

Alhaji Sidiku Buari was all along present in the vetting room but Ambolley requested that he should go out when it got to his (Ambolley’s) turn. Alhaji Sidiku obliged but was later called in to submit certain documents, which were not disclosed to Beatwaves.

After receiving the documents, the behaviour of the committee members seemed to suggest that Ambolley had already been disqualified.

Thus, the singer who just released his 21st album was asked to bring a proof to the effect that he once held office in the union.

However, Ambolley argued that the union’s administration should be able to provide those records, but the committee also insisted that he should come along with the records since he was once a vice president.

His vetting was thus deferred to an unannounced date for him to reappear with his proof.

The vetting committee members included Justice Mingle of Radio Ghana, Akwesi Aboagye of Peace FM, DJ Abio of Channel R, Yaw Poku of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture and Enoch Narh, formerly of the Copyright Society of Ghana (COSGA).

The rest were Togbe Ehlah from the National Commission on Culture (NCC), Fred Tetteh of the Electoral Commission and A.K Yeboah, a musician.

Beatwaves would bring more highlights on the vetting.