UTV presenter recounts how they hid ‘scared’ Owusu-Bempah from NIB operatives in 2016

Agya Kwabena, the anchor of Adekye Nsroma, a daily discussion show on UTV, has joined the list of Despite Media staff members who are denouncing an attack on the station by thugs linked to the NPP, the country’s ruling party.

On October 12, 2023, he addressed the issue on his program and specifically criticized Ernest Owusu-Bempah, a member of the NPP.

Owusu-Bempah is quoted as having referred to UTV’s United Showbiz program as “useless” during the debate about how the show had become more and more political and let participants to openly trash the government and its representatives.

Agya Kwabena expressed concern that Owusu-Bempah would be the one carrying out such attacks on the station and defending the rioters’ behavior on October 7.

He recalled an incident from 2016 in which Owusu-Bempah had to be protected from agents of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) by UTV workers.

“Remember, it was on this same station when he was being sought after by NIB operatives for some comments he mad made, it took our intervention to hide him in one of our offices for about three hours, it was during an evening programme.

“He left his car here for five days, we shielded him till very late and worked for him to sneak out of the building. Out of fear, he even took away a set of keys belonging to us,” the presenter recounted to two other colleagues.

When one other suggested that maybe he should have been handed over and disciplined at the time, the host clarified:

“He was our guest and we couldn’t allow him to be picked up. Today, you who we protected decides to insult us this way, it is not a problem but this is where we all are, let’s see how this goes,” he lamented.

After the NPP wrote to UTV requesting that the show be changed, the United Showbiz program became the center of controversy.

The invasion that resulted in the arrest of 16 persons who have since been released on bail was partially precipitated by panelist A Plus ripping a copy of their letter on live television.

Remember the time we shielded you from the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) when they arrived at our premises to arrest you? – Agya Kwabena to Ernest Owusu Bempah#UTVGhana pic.twitter.com/oivqtO3zF3

— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) October 12, 2023