Only a handful of artistes had come on board for the benefit concert for Haiti scheduled for the Alliance Francaise on Saturday, January 23 by the middle of last week, but the number had swelled considerably by the end of the week and the organisers are now politely turning some of them down.

Haiti was hit by a huge earthquake last week. The international community has united to offer relief and some concerned outfits and individuals in Ghana have also decided to raise cash and awareness about the situation in Haiti at a benefit night which will feature music performances, messages and film clips on the Caribbean nation.

Organised by a group called Friends of Haiti and the Iinternational Red Cross in Ghana, in collaboration with Creative Storm, artistes that have confirmed their participation are Becca, Reggie Rockstone, Praye, Kwabena Kwabena, Kings Jubilee, Gyedu lay Ambolley, Kubolor, Bernice Offei, Black Rasta and the Noyam Dance Company.

"We have been overwhelmed by the desire of our artistes to help show love for our unfortunate brothers and sisters in Haiti. They are all appearing free of charge," Dr Kwesi Owusu of Creative Storm said in a chat with Showbiz.

Haiti became the world's first black-led republic and the first independent Caribbean state when it threw off French colonial control and slavery in a series of wars in the early 19th century.

However, decades of poverty, environmental degradation, violence, instability and dictatorship have left it as the poorest nation in the Americas.

A mostly mountainous country with a tropical climate, Haiti's location, history and culture once made it a potential tourist hot spot, but instability and violence, especially since the 1980s, have severely dented that prospect.

A 7.0-magnitude quake, Haiti's worst in two centuries, struck the country last week. President Rene Preval has been quoted as saying that more than 100,000 Haitians had died. The Red Cross also says over three million people have been affected by the quake.

According to Dr Owusu, people who want to help with the relief effort in Haiti can text to 1962 on all networks. He said resources generated from Ghana will be sent over to Haiti through the International Red Cross. According to him, some diplomatic missions in this country also plan to make some input for a successful event," Dr Owusu said.

Journalist Kweku Sakyi-Addo, who has visited and written about Haiti in the international media, is expected to be among the people to give messages at the benefit concert.

Sponsors for the event include Mastermix Studios, Friends of Haiti, Alliance Francaise, International Red Cross, EKB Entertainment, Jungle Productions and Creative Storm.

Many American entertainment and sports figures have already raised millions of dollars for the relief effort in Haiti.