Dismissed ISD boss writes to Enquirer

Attention: The Editor-in-Chief

RE: Articles in the Enquirer dated Friday 17th – Sunday 19th September, 2010 entitled “Info Service Boss Under Fire” written by Godfred Opare Djan and Monday 20th – Tuesday 21st September, 2010 unattributed article entitled “Embattled Info Service Boss Exposed – Over Planned Media Assault on Ministry of Information”

Your newspaper mentions my name in the two articles under reference above. In the Friday 17th – Sunday 19th September issue of the Enquirer a reference is made to “Nee Barnor who was last Monday, Sept. 13th mentioned in the Daily Guide newspaper.” I checked the Daily Guide of Monday, Sept. 13th and there is not one mention of the name “Nee Barnor” in the Daily Guide of that day.

Furthermore the source of the allegation of corruption made by the Daily Guide on Tuesday, September 14, 2010 entitled “Mills Boy Blows c1.6bn on Xmas Hampers has been attributed to me.” I categorically state that I am not the source and have absolutely nothing to do with the Daily Guide as alleged in an unattributed story in your paper the Enquirer of Monday 20th – Tuesday 21st September, 2010 edition entitled “Embattled Info Service Boss Exposed.” The Daily Guide story is explicit in stating that the Ministry of Information and Stan Dogbe provided the information for the allegations they have made. I do not sneak information to publications as cowards are wont to do, the Daily Guide included.

It would not have been necessary for Godfred Opare Djan and an unattributed writer to print false statements in the Enquirer about me had they made the effort to contact me before writing the stories that appeared in the publications. In the event this is malicious. It is inexplicable why a ghost writer insists that I was responsible for the story in the Daily Guide when there are many who are privy to audits at the Ministry.

No source within the Information Services Department can claim that I, Nee Agiri Barnor, “in an attempt to sway the minds of the civil service and the Castle, decided to activate the recent publication on the budget education campaign, after receiving instruction to hand over from the sector Minister Mr. John Tia.” This is pure fabrication. The writer invented this source.

I can confidently assure the writer of the unattributed story that the standard of proof required by the Presidency and the Ghana Civil Service in decision making concerning the tenure of officers is much higher and more sophisticated than their publications would have Ghanaians believe.

The motive the writer at the Enquirer states drove me to the Daily Guide is the stuff of idle conspiracy theorists and certainly the product of inexperienced political operatives. The publication has rather been very successful in proving that I am not and cannot be the source of the allegations mentioned in their publications.

In the matter of the phony ‘petition’ brought against me by the five Deputy Directors’ Godfred Opare Djan’s obvious purpose was to misled and prejudice his readers and any further enquiry into the allegations. I insist that there should be an enquiry to clear my name and I am certain the enquiry will absolve me.

The Editor-in-Chief of the Enquirer is requested to publish this rejoinder in the next publication of the newspaper. The rejoinder should be published in the same position namely the front page and given the same prominence as the offending articles. I would also like the Editor of the Enquirer to retract the stories and publish an apology to me for publishing false information about me.

Nee Agiri Barnor Wednesday, September 22, 2010