Organisers of RTP Awards say Swedru-based artiste, Patapaa Amistry, is satisfied with the amount of money being paid him to perform at this year’s awards night at the Accra International Conference Centre on Saturday.

Patapaa has been named and advertised as a supporting act for the event which would see Ebony Reign perform as the headline artiste.

Reports last week suggested organisers of the event were offering the artiste GHC1,000 as performance fee; an amount his team and Ghanaians considered to be an insult to Patapaa whose ‘One Corner’ hit song has been ruling the airwaves.

But these reports, according to Big Events Ghana, are false and not close to the truth.

They explained in a statement issued Monday that the GHC1,000 in question was paid to the artiste to “facilitate his movement from Swedru to Accra” for the signing of the contract on the event.

According to the organisers, they reached a verbal agreement with Patapaa and invited him to proceed to Accra for the contract to be signed but the artiste raised the issue of transportation to which they decided to give him the GHC1,000.

Patapaa is ‘satisfied’

“We will not put out the exact amount agreed on because it isn’t ethical to do so but can say that both parties are satisfied with the agreed amount and that was enough for us to give him the 1000 Ghana Cedis traveling facilitation fee which the media is peddling as the total amount for his performance…Every artiste on the bill is satisfied with the amount agreed” it said.

The decision to put Patapaa on the award platform, the organisers said, was in response to requests made by industry players “who thought it is fair to give him that opportunity,” adding the event has over the years helped advance the careers of musicians in Ghana.

“We’d want to assure the people of Ghana that we will always use our platform to grow the entertainment industry in general and will not disrespect hardworking artistes by paying them less than they deserve,” the statement said.