When the many hundreds of patrons walked into the Accra International Conference Center (AICC) on Monday night to watch the much-anticipated latest investigative work of celebrated undercover investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, they expected far more than they got served.
Of course, ahead of the premiere, there had been snippets of information released by the Tiger Eye PI on what people should expect in the much-touted exposé and that was exactly what patrons anticipated.
However, after the documentary was premiered, many have come out to express disappointments in what they watched at the AICC.
The expectations:
Many of the expectations were from a post that Anas Aremeyaw Anas made on his Facebook wall only a few hours to the airing of the video.
The celebrated investigative journalist stated that his Tiger Eye PI team met with the Minister of State in charge of Finance, Charles Adu Boahen (who has since been dismissed by President Nana Akufo-Addo) in the United Arab Emirates, UAE.
He added that the minister told them that for the Vice President of Ghana, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to avail himself to the undercover investigators who posed as investors, he would need an appearance fee of only USD200,000 to be able to support their investment.
“You mean, like appearance fees and stuff? I mean he, himself (the Vice President), if you give him some (USD) 200,000 or something as a token, as thank you, appreciation, that’s fine. He’s not really, he’s not really (like) that. All he needs is to worry about his campaign money in 2020,” Charles Adu Boahen said when he was asked how an investor can get the attention of the Vice President.
The minister is said to have added that an investor must also consider opportunities for the siblings of the vice president for his full support, apart from the USD200,000 appearance fee token to him.
“So, if you come with 3 or 4 projects and you say, we are doing this, we are doing that, (and) we are prepared to write a cheque for this, write a cheque (for that). You see, he has a big family. (The) Vice President has about 5 or 6 brothers and sisters. So, what may be, will happen is; if you tell him (the Vice President) that, hey, look, I want to do this project, do you have somebody that I can work with that you will introduce me to? And then, you know, he (the Vice President) will use that to immediately put his brother to work with us on a particular project. That’s how we would be able to work with him (the Vice President). You know what I mean? You see what I’m saying? And the development of his businesses,” he added.
Anas also noted that Adu Boahen, after having bundles of US dollars spread on a table in front of him and told to use them for shopping by the supposed business tycoon, promised to introduce the businessman to the powers that be: President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Anas also indicated that the video would show how a legal practitioner, who is not a public office holder, held a separate meeting with them where he and a traditional chief said they were in the position to control or suggest a package for the president and vice president of Ghana.
The barrister told the Tiger Eye investigators, who posed as business tycoons, that he could not manipulate the president to do his bidding, but he will try to help them have access to the president, his vice and some influencers to do their business in Ghana.
“I’ll try. I’ll do my best. You see we are talking of the president, so, I cannot tell you that I can control the president but, I can tell you that I will do my best to ensure that whatever that you want shall be done.
“You see, I think it’s a bit too early for me to start to talk about these things. I mean talk about the package for the President, etc. For me, Sir, money is important, (but) money is not everything. It is the relationship. When we have a good relationship, money will come. So, don’t worry about the package, we can always (do that). You are a good man. So, let’s leave that one out. But in Ghana, when you set up business and you engage local partners, you, the investor, you must retain at least 75% which gives you the control. At least, let’s say, speaking in respect of the bank,” he advised.
He also said he was instrumental in the appointment of Adu Boahen.
The disappointments:
Some patrons who watched the premiere of the ‘Galamsey Economy’ exposé expressed their disappointments in the video.
According to some of them, the was a major missing link in the 45-50 minutes-long video as they expected to see more than the revelation of the now dismissed Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, Charles Adu Boahen.
As was advertised as well, many looked forward to finding out who the private legal practitioner and the chief mentioned in the post made by Anas Aremeyaw Anas on Facebook were.
But unfortunately, none of those revelations were made.
A number of patrons also questioned the modus operandi of the celebrated undercover investigative journalist.
Anas Aremeyaw Anas is a celebrated undercover journalist who exposed activities in galamsey