Premiering Of #Number 12 By Anas Aremeyaw Anas
Former American President Theodore Roosevelt once said "a man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car but if he has university education, he may steal the whole railroad". This was indeed amplified yesterday in the investigative documentary by Ace Investigative Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas which was premiered at the Accra International Conference Center. The highly anticipated documentary was done in partnership with some international media organisations including the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC. The fact that the premiering of the video attracted one of the biggest crowds ever seen at the center in recent times speaks volumes. It showed the interest Ghanaians had in watching the film and their abhorrence of corruption. It also indicated their love for football. Needless to state, corruption is an enemy to development and good governance. There is no doubt the one and half hour documentary was well researched and camera work has improved tremendously this time round. At the end of it all, it succeeded in sending chills down the spines of most lovers of Ghanaians football and good governance. The sheer display of underhand dealings and naked robbery by people in top positions especially at the Ghana Football Association, GFA, and the National Sports Authority were enough to convince most viewers how our football has been compromised and been sold to the highest bidder. It was nauseating to see a referee who is supposed to be the arbiter in a match sell his or her conscience for as low as 300 Ghana cedis. This perhaps explains why most Ghanaians have lost interest in our local football and found solace in the European league. The fact that Ghanaians love their football neat and dry is not in dispute, watching the documentary however gave a deep insight into how the game has been compromised vis a vis how penalties are awarded and yellow as well as red cards are flashed to influence the outcomes of matches. The actors in the film indeed exhibited finesse and stark mastery in bribe taking which have today brought Ghana football to its knees.
Before the premiering of the documentary a lot of heat were generated as to whether or not to stop Anas Aremeyaw Anas in his tracks. They were cacophonic noises as to the correctness or otherwise of what is known today as the Anas principle in investigative journalism. Fine, the GJA Code of Ethics debars journalists from adopting subterfuge and entrapment in sourcing for news items. Nevertheless when the modus operandi or adventure is in the national interest it can be allowed. That is why the Ghana Journalist Association sought for police protection for the undercover journalist. With the level at which the nation finds itself in the corruption bracket we cannot but encourage more of such investigative pieces. It is now crystal clear why some politicians and football administrators had wanted to scuttle the airing of the film.
We commend Anas Aremeyaw Anas and all his collaborators for such a revealing enterprise. Ghana is too big a nation for a single individual to take over. Government must therefore reprimand all those caught under the lenses of Tiger Eye PI. "The Monkey dey work, Baboon dey chop" phenomenon has eaten too deep into the fabrics of the Ghanaian society and the earlier the invisible hands are brought to book the better. The GFA must be restructured and the football management system reviewed. People have for far too long taken advantage of FIFA's policy of non-governmental interference in the work of Football Associations and are milking the system dry. We doff our hats for Messers Kweku Eyiah and JF Mensah for resisting attempts to compromise them. This shows that it is not an entirely hopeless situation. We must say no to football corruption and break the entire walls of the mafia in Ghanaian football. The time is now or never.
BY: JUSTICE MINGLE, A JOURNALIST.
Before the premiering of the documentary a lot of heat were generated as to whether or not to stop Anas Aremeyaw Anas in his tracks. They were cacophonic noises as to the correctness or otherwise of what is known today as the Anas principle in investigative journalism. Fine, the GJA Code of Ethics debars journalists from adopting subterfuge and entrapment in sourcing for news items. Nevertheless when the modus operandi or adventure is in the national interest it can be allowed. That is why the Ghana Journalist Association sought for police protection for the undercover journalist. With the level at which the nation finds itself in the corruption bracket we cannot but encourage more of such investigative pieces. It is now crystal clear why some politicians and football administrators had wanted to scuttle the airing of the film.
We commend Anas Aremeyaw Anas and all his collaborators for such a revealing enterprise. Ghana is too big a nation for a single individual to take over. Government must therefore reprimand all those caught under the lenses of Tiger Eye PI. "The Monkey dey work, Baboon dey chop" phenomenon has eaten too deep into the fabrics of the Ghanaian society and the earlier the invisible hands are brought to book the better. The GFA must be restructured and the football management system reviewed. People have for far too long taken advantage of FIFA's policy of non-governmental interference in the work of Football Associations and are milking the system dry. We doff our hats for Messers Kweku Eyiah and JF Mensah for resisting attempts to compromise them. This shows that it is not an entirely hopeless situation. We must say no to football corruption and break the entire walls of the mafia in Ghanaian football. The time is now or never.
BY: JUSTICE MINGLE, A JOURNALIST.
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