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| Gifty Ofori Miss Universe Ghana |
It is a shame that organizers of the last edition of Miss Universe Ghana have refused to give the winner her prize package; yet they are organizing another event this evening to crown a new Miss Universe, with their sponsors closing one eye on this apparent fraud.
Insignia Experience and Roberta Annan Consulting (RAC LLC), organizers of the 2012 edition, are divided over which of the two companies is responsible to give the winner, Gifty Ofori, her full prize package.
It has emerged however that there is a written Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that explicitly explains what the winner’s prize package is and which company is responsible for giving it out.
While RAC is saying it has nothing to do with prize packages and event in general because it only played a ‘helping’ role, Insignia creates the impression that RAC is responsible for the credibility hitches.
Meanwhile, a new queen is about to be crowned tonight at the La Palm Beach Hotel in Accra where the 2013 edition of the concert is being organized by Roberta Annan Consulting [RAC LLC].
Sources say the fact that the 2012 winner has not received her full prize package is creating panic among current contestants for the 2013 edition.
A press statement issued by RAC on Wednesday said Ms Gifty Ofori deserves to receive her prize package.
However, the company said it was not responsible for the event and the prize packages for 2012 winner because it only played a ‘helping’ role during last year’s event.
It however didn’t go into details to explain what it meant by ‘help.’
“Last year’s edition of the pageant was organized by INSIGNIA Experience with help from the RAC Group and based on their working agreement at the time, INSIGNIA was responsible for the event as well as providing the winner with the prize she deservedly won.
“RAC LLC however believes that Ms. Gifty Ofori deserves to receive all the full benefits that were promised her when she won the crown last year; and as such she is right to pursue the issue with last year’s organizers,” public relations manager for RAC, Derrick Addai said in the statement.
Meanwhile, a MoU sighted by NEWS-ONE on Friday indicated that the 2012 Miss Universe Ghana pageant was organized as a joint venture between Insignia and RAC.
According to the document titled ‘Joint Venture (JV) Agreement between Insignia and RAC’, RAC is also responsible for the prize packages.
A clause (4.1.1) of the said agreement stated: “That RAC shall use all legitimate means available at her disposal as afore-represented to facilitate the procurement of funding and sponsorship in the areas so agreed for The Joint Venture.”
As regards terms for termination, there are claims that “Insignia has received no documentation requesting the dissolution of the JV.”
There were also other issues of breach of confidentiality.
But in all this brouhaha, the innocent queen, Ms Gifty Ofori is the one who has been denied what she is legitimately entitled to.
NEWS-ONE
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