Legal luminary, Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare has suggested to the state to reward freelance investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni for his investigative documentary on the Public Procurement Authority which led to the termination of appointment of its Chief Executive Officer.
According to him, the state must cover the cost of the production of the documentary and include other packages.
“The state should consider rewarding Manasseh Azure Awuni for the work he did on Donkomi. At the very least, the State must cover the cost of Donkomi plus a reasonable rent,” he indicated.
Professor Asare also called on persons who chastised the journalist to apologise to him.
“The firing of the PPA gaffer is appropriate. But more has to be done to cleanse PPA,” he added.
In 2019, Mr Azure Awuni aired a documentary titled Contracts for Sale on the alleged sale of government contracts by TDL, a company partly owned by the then boss of the PPA. He uncovered that TDL won Government contracts from the PPA where Mr Adjei was the boss and sold them to contractors willing to pay more.
The documentary led to the immediate suspension of the PPA boss by Presisdent Nana Akufo-Addo. He then referred the matter to CHRAJ and the Office of the Special Prosecutor for furhther investigations.
CHRAJ has made public its report. In it, it recommended that the suspended PPA boss be sacked outright. This has been done by the President. Mr Adjei is also likely face the Economic and Organised Crime Office(EOCO) for investigations into money laundery, following his inability to explain the source of huge sums in his account.
Many have praised Mr Azure Awuni for his selfless work as an investigative journalist in the country. His works have led to the cancellation of dubious government contracts that have saved the country millions.
