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16.08.2005 General News

Hundreds Register To Protect Giselle Yazji

16.08.2005 LISTEN
By Palaver

As “Friends of the Truth” is born

Hundreds of Ghanaians last Friday thronged the Holy Gardens at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra to register to join the Friends of the Truth (FOT), a newly-formed Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) established to facilitate the safe arrival in Ghana of Ms. Giselle Yazji, President Kufuor's former Economic Adviser at the centre of the “Hotel Kufuor” controversy and to ensure her safety and security whilst she is in the country.

The FOT had announced its intention to register volunteers at a Press Conference held on Thursday at which the group described itself as a collection of individual Ghanaians of diverse backgrounds, dissatisfied with the way issues of national importance and public interest, particularly issues on corruption and maladministration, are often given political twist with the truth buried under over-partisanship.

The group's purpose is to use legitimate means to ensure that the truth on national issues does not suffer as a consequence of their politicisation, and their immediate plan is to assist CHRAJ and the people of Ghana to arrive at the truth in the matter of the purchase of “Hotel Kufuor”.

Within minutes of the FOT setting up their registration table at 3.00 p.m. on Friday, a long queue had formed and after just about one hour, 48 people – 28 men and 20 women – had signed up to join the organisation.

Alhaji Bature of Radio Gold's “Alhaji and Alhaji” fame, Coordinator of the FOT, as well as the FOT's spokesman, Mr. Ken Kuranchie, Editor of the 'Searchlight' newspaper, had a hectic time controlling the crowd of enthusiastic volunteers who seemed determined to ensure that Giselle Yazji will have her day in the court of public opinion in Ghana.

—AND “ENEMIES OF LIES” IS FLOATED

As a counterpoise to the spontaneously spawned “Friends of the Truth” (FOT), Ghana's embattled security and intelligence agencies last Thursday also floated a phantom and shadowy organisation calling itself “Enemies of lies” (EOL).

In a move that had the signature of intelligence capo Francis Poku written all over it, the group, formed to prevent Ms. Giselle Yazji from coming to Ghana to give evidence before the CHRAJ in connection with the 'Hotel Kufuor” affair, appeared to be known only to Kweku Baako Jnr. and Gina Blay, editors of the 'Crusading Guide' and 'Daily Guide' respectively.

The two were the only media to announce the formation of the group last Friday and so far, the only identified member of the group is one Alhaji Yusif, who spoke to Joy FM in an interview last Friday.

An attempt by the group to register members last Friday fizzled out as nobody turned up at their registration point, but Ghana Palaver has learnt that it registered 5 people when it made a second attempt on Saturday.

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