Open Letter To Mr. Abdul Malik Kweku Baako

A Bribe Is A Bribe Irrespective Of Where It Ends Up.

It is difficult at times to critique a public figure you admire. But when he appears to be falling of the standard he represents, we believe it does a world of good to criticise this individual constructively.

Wintson Churchill once admitted, "Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things."

You are being accused of carving a pattern of INDIRECTLY establishing a competition between TWO of the finest INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISTS Ghana is blessed with. This is in the persons of MR. ANAS and MR. MANNASEH AZURE ... Our democracy needs these two to be collaborating and not competing. Our democracy needs such fine young journalists to hold your views in high esteem ...

Observers are picking the clear signals that you seem to be engineering a competition between them if you are not aware Sir. If it is not the case, then what you stand you in the last few years, has suffered the 'GHANA FIRST' consistency when it comes to issues smelling corruption. I will not want to go into the archives of such inconsistency. I will concentrate on the most recent one.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE JUDGES, (YOU virtually 'SWORN' ON NEWSFILE, TO CAMPAIGN FOR THEIR REMOVAL) who were tempted to TAKE GOATS,SHEEP,YAM and THE PRESIDENT WHO WILLINGLY TOOK A $100,000 FORD EXPEDITION?

Did Mr. Azure tempt the president to take a 'gifted-bribe' of a vehicle worth $100,000?

Your attempt to downplay this issue and justify the president's lack of judgement is very unfortunate to say the least. Simple because your source from the flagstaff house seems to confirm to you the said vehicle is in the pool of automobiles at the flagstaff house, does not make the gift right. It is still a bribe for favour.

When is a bribe a serious issue then? Is a bribe according to you now justified depending on what is done with the bribe? I am sure, you have heard of the old adage:

"There's no such thing as a free lunch," or even a free parker pen. The have spoken strongly about the lack of ethics adherence around the conduct of public servants. So it surprises most folks who admire you as a seasoned journalist the manner you seem to downplay the idea that ethical politicians should recognise taking any gift from someone with business before him or her is intended to exert an influence.

Correct us if we are wrong, but would it have been okay for you if the judges whose verdicts in court were alleged to have been influenced by "gifts" they took, could prove that they donated their 'gifted-bribes' of goats, sheep, yam, etc etc, to OSU CHILDREN'S HOME?

DID YOU BOTHER TO FIND OUT WHAT THE JUDGES DID WITH THEIR BRIBES? Maybe they donated the bribes of yam and goat to an orphanages ... so that justifies the bribe taken, right?

Mr. Baako, you have admirable personality crafted in the image of your fine common sense analysis most of the time. Most of us applaud you for that. But this kind of terrible analysis you try to validate it somehow lacks common sense application. Do not allowing this to tarnish your credibility of fairness ... it is being suggested that if it were Mr. Anas who conducted this fine investigative journalism by Mr. Azure to exposed the president of taking a bribe which is exactly what the president did, you would be singing a different tune of praises and applauding Mr. Anas.

Senior Man Baako, once again it is becoming one too many. These are the two most prolific young celebrity investigative journalists our country is blessed with ... don't use your personality and public profile to play one against the other. They are friends and not even adversaries let alone enemies.

IT IS NOT FAIR AND NOT COOL Mr. Baako.
This is meant to be a constructive criticism and we hope you will see it that way.

CPAG DESK