Opinions of Tuesday, 8 January 2019

Columnist: E. J. Kwabena Badu Agyemang

Manasseh should hold his jubilation of sharing only portions of the audited report that concerns Zoomlion to the Media

Investigative Journalist, Manasseh Azure Investigative Journalist, Manasseh Azure

A media practitioner and a self-styled Ghanaian corruption crusader, Manasseh Azure Awuni has further exposed his hatred and biases against Zoomlion Ghana Limited, the waste management giant in Ghana and Africa by sharing selected portions of the recent Auditor General’s Report that mentioned Zoomlion to media houses and urging them to publish it variously for him to achieve his aim and get called Ace Investigator and Corruption Crusader in the history books of Ghana.

Unfortunately, Manasseh in his usual rush to press to paint the company and its associates bad ignored the fact that the Auditor General’s Report is not a finality in itself but rather the Appeal Court has that mandate to create impression over the surcharges and disallowances.

As a writer. I will not wade into the matters of the court by letting Manasseh know that the AG’s decision to indict all CEOs of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) who the AG said acted in contravention of the law raises several questions in the minds of followers and readers that it was indeed possible for all of them to have disregarded the law so profusely under different governments to collaborate with Zoomlion to make savings from the state purse as decided by the AG.

One of the former CEOs Mr. Sylvester Adinan Mensah according to a Citi News report has already denied any wrong doing with regards to the AG report.

Zoomlion is reported to have said they have appealed to the court on the matter and would not meddle in issues of the court until a decision is so made by the court. So it is unfortunate that Manasseh has not learnt his lessons of taking people to the media for trial. An exercise that society has frowned on.

Giving that the AG is right, is it not too early yet to celebrate? Knowing Manasseh for who he is, I have no shred of doubt that he is using his evil styles to pre-empt the state procedures in his favour but no he can’t get away with that.

I laughed when I read that Manasseh recently alleged that he refused bribe from officers of GYEEDA and big companies in the run up to his so-called GYEEDA investigation. I wondered whether it was the same Manasseh who was alleged to have sent deal makers Mr. Robert Coleman to negotiate for Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong to pay him GH¢500,000.00 and a house at Trassaco.

It was also reported of a similar attempt by him to take goodies from Mr. Roland Agambire and who also refused to gamble in bribe. If God had come today to judge Manasseh and Multimedia would have been most affected. Multimedia grants Manasseh the opportunity to blackmail people for money maybe for their selfish gains.

People wonder if Manasseh did not take bribe from beneficiaries of the elsewhere Capital Bank as he did at Menzgold as reported in the media last year.

I pray they are all untrue but Manasseh I doubt is the genuine guy he wants us to believe he is. If there are clouds on your head you cannot conclude there is rain.

Wait yet before you become jubilant that you have retrieved any coins for the state.