A member of the Upper East Regional Communication Team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Paul Danka has expressed displeasure at investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni over the title of his investigative report alleging acts of corruption by officials of the Bongo District Assembly.
Mr. Paul Danka argued that entitling the investigative report ‘The Bongo Scandal’ when it is involves just some few individuals is a denigration to the entire Bongo District and its residents.
He said although Manasseh Azure has the discretion to give whatever title he wishes to the report and may want to entitle it in a way that would resonate with the general public, he should have been discreet enough especially when he is a native of the district and not drag the entire district into the scandal as that would give the district a bad a name and scare away people who intend investing in the district.
“I’m not happy with the title given to the documentary. Manasseh has the discretion to use whatever title he wishes but he should remember that Bongo is bigger than the individuals and institutions involved and to title such an incident as Bongo scandal, you more or less denigrating the entire district and people.
Again, it brings about some kind of cloud on the place and equally also the institutions involved. Because tomorrow, anybody who wants to do anything and researching about the place, immediately you key in Bongo, you know what will come. This bad news will be the first to pop up and it is not good for the place. Manasseh is from the place and should have known better. Although you may want your cliché to resonate with the people and get the traffic you need, but to say the Bongo Scandal is giving the place a bad name and I’m not happy with the report,” he stated on Dreamz FM’s The State of Our Nation.
‘The Bongo Scandal’ investigative documentary which was published last week details alleged acts of corruption and illegal withdrawal of money which Manasseh Azure described as criminal by officials of the Bongo District Assembly.
The Bongo District Assembly, according to the documentary, awarded two contracts to itself and Madam Diana Aburiya using one Asumbekere Karim Anagbila’s company in breach of the procurement laws. The CEO of Aporgan K-A Enterprise claimed his permission was not sought before the usage of his company by the assembly management to bid for the contract. He told the investigative journalist that he only became aware of the development after the assembly withdrew money from his account with the Maltaaba Bank without his permission.
He protested against the usage of his company by the assembly for the contract and the withdrawal of the money from his account. But the assembly prevailed upon him to cooperate with them for the execution of the project and he agreed and even went ahead to sign a blank cheque for future withdrawals of funds but on condition that the assembly would show him proof of the work executed before any withdrawal will be made.
But the assembly, he claimed, failed to meet the agreed condition and had intended to withdraw a second chunk of the money paid into his account. Mr. Karim, who got wind of the assembly’s move, is said to have instructed the bank not to allow the second withdrawal. The bank, however, defied his instructions and went ahead to allow the withdrawal of over GH¢156,000.
But Paul Danka believes Mr. Karim has been economical with the truth. For him, if Manasseh Azure had conducted proper investigation into the matter, he would have uncovered the true facts of the matter.
