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Former Telecel Ghana Music Awards Public Relations Officer and Team Lead for ImageBureau George Quaye has urged the program’s administrators, Charterhouse, to think about creating a unique non-competitive category to recognise artists with Shatta Wale’s lineage. Following a successful ShattaFest 2025 event, a group from Shatta Wale’s management paid Charterhouse a courtesy call, during which he made the appeal. The historic show was created by Charterhouse Ghana Limited, an event business, and it was held on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at Independence Square in Accra. Thousands of fans flocked to the site to celebrate Shatta Wale, drawing an unprecedented turnout for ShattaFest 2025. To show their gratitude, Shatta Wale and his group went to Charterhouse. George Quaye, who spoke during the conference, stated that it would be awkward to put some artists in competitive categories given their accomplishments in the sector. Imagine Shatta Wale fighting against a young artist who has performed well during the year in question, and then the up-and-coming artist wins due to the game’s dynamics, which are obviously unmanageable. Considering that, placing him in a category like that might not be cool; the program might resemble categories that honour artists like him, making it non-competitive. For example, if it is evident that Shatta has performed well in a year like this, I am not sure what the category will be, but it is not competitive. It’s an honour that will accompany a short documentary; if we can look at something like that, it can accompany something else,” he remarked. According to George, this category might be modelled after the Telecel Ghana Music Awards’ Lifetime Achievement Award, which honours seasoned musicians who have achieved professional success and had a significant influence. He claims that the artists, the plan, and the audience will all gain from this. Fan bases may just leave and then cast their votes, and other dynamics may come into play when it comes to the competitive categories. Sometimes the public, the Academy, and the Board will all move in different directions, and that’s where the disputes start,” he said. Charterhouse CEO Theresah Ayoade responded by stating that she would forward George’s request to the Telecel Ghana Music Awards Board. It’s a recommendation, and we can only debate it with the Board, but I do know that the Telecel Ghana Music Awards is a changing program, and after 26 years, it no longer looks the same as it did when it first began, she said. Following their notorious altercation on stage during the 2019 Music Awards, Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy were permanently barred from the event. Both artists were allowed to rejoin after the ban was lifted in January 2021, though Shatta Wale has since stated that he would not want to participate in the program once more. However, he has stated that he would not object to integrating the rewards program with his ride-hailing company, Shaxi.
