Ghanaian musician Okyeame Kwame has refuted claims suggesting that Ghanaian celebrities lead extravagant lives, asserting instead that it is politicians who flaunt opulence.
In response to the Economic and Organised Crime Office’s (EOCO) plan to scrutinize celebrities and individuals suspected of possessing unexplained wealth, Okyeame Kwame emphasized that it is politicians, not celebrities, who indulge in lavish living.
“I have been in the celebrity space for 20 something years, I do not think they will find any artiste who are ‘criminals’ or many celebs and film makers because these people are suffering,” he said during an interview with Berla Mundi on TV3’s New Day.
He added, “It is very difficult to be in this industry as an influencer or artiste and then just by that be able to survive. I have not seen celebrities in Ferraris or Maybachs or Porsche cars or multimillion dollar mansions. Where are they? Show me.”
He emphasized that most celebrities face financial challenges due to insufficient earnings, and any occasional luxuries are usually funded from their savings.
Contrary to focusing on celebrities, Okyeame Kwame urged EOCO to direct its attention towards politicians, highlighting instances where civil servants on modest salaries are seen driving high-end cars.
“We are going to start investigating celebrities and in less than 30 days, they will be done because it is obvious that there are no or very few celebrities who are enjoying unwarranted wealth,” he emphasized.
While applauding EOCO’s efforts to uphold integrity, Okyeame Kwame stressed the importance of aligning financial laws with international standards to account for discrepancies in individuals’ financial profiles.
EOCO’s decision to tighten scrutiny follows the recent guilty plea by Ghanaian social media influencer and musician, Mona Montrage, known as Hajia4reall, in a $2 million romance scam case.