Talented Kid Winner Waits 2 Years For Prize

Nearly two years after winning the maiden edition of TV3’s Talented Kids, Emmanuel Owusu Asiedu, 10, is yet to embark on the two-week educational trip to UK which formed part of his prize package.

As the ultimate winner of the competition in April 2010, Emmanuel, a primary 5 pupil of Ann’s Preparatory School, North Kaneshie received GH¢ 3000, a laptop computer and a two-week educational trip to UK courtesy Travelite Travel and Tour, one of the sponsors of Talented Kids.

He has so far received the cash prize money of GH ¢ 3000 and the mini laptop.

Talking to Graphic Showbiz last Monday, Mr Christopher Owusu Mireku, father of Emmanuel said they are disappointed because his son was to travel to the UK a month after winning the competition but that hasn’t happened.

“TV3 has been telling me one story after the other. The last time I heard from them was last month. They were requesting for my son’s passport which they already have in their possession since 2010.

“I personally provided my son’s passport to TV3 because I was made aware my son was travelling a month after he won so I was very surprised when they called and argued with me over the passport which I handed over to them in 2010.

He added “Somewhere last year, they told me Emmanuel together with the winner of the second edition, Maame Esi would travel to UK in 2011 but the second edition is over and TV3 is about launching the third edition yet my son is still in Ghana.

What even annoys Mr. Owusu more is that fact that TV3 has continuously used his son to perform on several ocassions. “My son performed at the launch of the second edition at East Legon, TV3 Carols Night and several events. I have been quiet on the issue thinking they will fulfill their promise but it looks to me nothing is being done about it.”

According to Mr. Owusu, he has resorted to making up stories for his neighbourhood of Adabraka where they reside and pupils of Ann’s Preparatory when asked why his son hasn’t gone on his UK trip. “ I have to come up with stories so that my boy is not teased. I think it is high time I brought my lawyers in to handle the case. TV3 is taking us for granted and I am not happy with them at all.”

On his part, Brands Manager at TV3, Felix Dontoh said Emmanuel’s inability to go on the trip is due to genuine reasons beyond the control of TV3. “ He was eight years old as at the time he won and according to Travelite who provide such packages for kids, children travelling to the UK on educational tours should be nine years and above so he had to wait.

When he turned nine, his passport wasn’t ready so he couldn’t join the group scheduled to travel at that time to the UK. As a result, he was left behind. His father however rejected a trip to Edinburgh which came up later insisting it has to be London.

“Even as we speak, Travelite has proposed a trip to South Africa. We have scheduled a meeting with Emmanuel’s father for tomorrow, Friday and we hope he will accept it. You see, the least number of children to constitute a group for the educational tour has to be 14 and as at now, Travelite is yet to get that thus the South Africa trip proposal”, he added.