Broadcast journalist, Paul Adom-Otchere, has criticised investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni for what he described as a persistent focus on Ghanaian-owned businesses in his investigations.
Speaking on the AM Show on JoyNews on Thursday, November 6, Mr. Adom-Otchere said while he commends Manasseh for his work, he finds it troubling that the journalist’s investigations often target local companies rather than foreign-owned ones operating in Ghana.
“Last Tuesday, I didn’t have enough time on television, but I was going to congratulate Manasseh for the work. But whilst I congratulate him, I want to ask this important question: Why do we have such a great investigative journalist like Manasseh and all his investigations are against only Ghanaian companies?”
According to him, the pattern of reporting undermines indigenous enterprises that contribute significantly to the economy, while overlooking the actions of foreign businesses that also play major roles in Ghana’s industrial space.
“He never investigates any other company, whether Indian—and there are these people who play a major role in our economy. Whether Indian, Italian, whatever—galamsey is there; Chinese companies are all over,” he said.
Mr Adom-Otchere cited the example of waste management giant Zoomlion Ghana Limited, arguing that the company had faced unfair scrutiny from the journalist.
“Manasseh Azure’s investigations are always focused on one Ghanaian company, and that is very dangerous. I mean, if Zoomlion had not stood his ground against Manasseh, Manasseh would have wanted Zoomlion company collapsed in 2014. Look at 2014 Zoomlion, look at today’s Zoomlion—he is in 21 African countries, and he sends Ghanaians there. You go to his office each time; he has about 40 people studying in China. This is the company they wanted to collapse,” he stated.
He further questioned the motive behind what he described as a continuous targeting of local firms.
“Are you going to find anything else to develop your country, if all you do every day is to find… and as soon as SML ended, then they say KGL. Every time, they are after a Ghanaian company—what kind of sociology is that? What is the anthropology that animates them so that every day it has to be a Ghanaian company?”