…Felix Kwakye
On 14th February, 2012, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Convener of the Research and Advocacy Platform (RAP) is reported to have said “Kwaku Baako Jnr., is on a damage control mission for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flag-bearer Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on his latest link to drug barons.”
Felix alleged that the motive behind the February 14th publication of The New Crusading Guide newspaper is to undermine the integrity of the state-owned Daily Graphic and extricate Nana Akufo-Addo on allegations that he issued a diplomatic passport to drug barons as Foreign Minister in the erstwhile Kufuor administration.
“I don’t think Kwaku Baako has succeeded in any way in absolving Nana Addo from blame in this particular matter. It would be in his (Baako's) own interest to prove that Nana Addo did not issue the diplomatic passport rather than seeking to undermine the integrity of The Graphic” he asserted. [http://politics.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201202/81534.php]
In the first place, I believe The New Crusading Guide newspaper was unnecessarily lenient with the state-owned Daily Graphic newspaper on this particular matter. The integrity of Daily Graphic has been doubtful for quite some time now. The Daily Graphic reporter, Timothy Gobah, who wrote the 13 February, 2012 story, must be sacked immediately. It is important to note that, the same reporter, Timothy Gobah wrote the story about how principled former Attorney General, Martin Amidu practically begged the President for forgiveness at the Castle over the “gargantuan crimes expose” when nothing like that happened. The NDC government seem to have finally infiltrated the state-owned Daily Graphic with an “absolutely ignorant”and unprofessional journalist.
The New Crusading Guide newspaper was right. The Daily Graphic published a story with title “Ghanaian Drug Baron Arrested in Brazil” on Monday, 19 May 2008 written by Nii Marma. Readers, you will not believe that, the same story was reproduced by NDC faithful Timothy Gobah on 13thFebruary, 2012 with twisted facts.
Relevant portions of the original story written by Nii Marma in 2008 says:
“Raymond Kwame Amankwah, a Ghanaian described as one of the most wanted drug barons, has been arrested in Brazil through a collaboration between the German Federal Police and its Brazilian counterpart.
He was arrested alongside two women, Mandy Veit, a German, and Irena Beata Ciaslak, a German-Polish, at the Pinto Martins Airport in Fortaleza, the capital of Ceara State in December 2007.
Confirming the arrest in a correspondence to the Daily Graphic, a Director of the Brazilian Supreme Court, Ms Madeleine Lacsko, said the three suspects were arrested after security personnel searched Mandy’s and Irena’s luggage at the airport while the two were waiting to fly to Lisbon at 7:30 p.m. and found the drugs hidden in false compartments.
It said Raymond, holder of Ghanaian passport number H1878450, was in custody at the House of Deprivation Provisional Freedom of Caucaia, while Mandy, holder of German passport A0883780, and Irena, bearer of German passport number 176705648, were being kept at female prisons at Presidio Desa, Auri Moura Costa.”
Kindly note that the passport number Ms Madeleine Lacsko, a Director of the Brazilian Supreme Court, gave Daily Graphic in the 2008 correspondence was H1878450.
Let us shift our attention to the “new”report the NDC faithful, Timothy Gobah published on 13th February, 2012. The NDC propagandist says:
“The Federal Police Department of Brazil has established that a notorious Ghanaian drug baron, Raymond Kwame Amankwah, who is serving a 14-year prison term at the Provisional Detention Centre at Caucaia in Brazil for drug trafficking, was holding a diplomatic passport issued by the Republic of Ghana.
A report released by the Brazilian police said at the time of his arrest, Amankwah, was holding passport number D1878450, a diplomatic passport.”
Kindly note that the passport number the NDC propagandist, Timothy Gobah gave is D1878450.
The difference between the two passport numbers is the letter “H” and “D” which prefixes both same numbers. I have seen an ordinary passport, its number starts with “H”. I want to believe a diplomatic passport number will start with the letter “D”.
Clearly the agenda of Timothy Gobah and his NDC paymasters is vivid for critical minds. Let us not lose sight of the current Woyomegate that has engulfed the nation. The President’s image has suffered badly. The NDC propaganda machinery is doing everything and anything to repair the President’s image and divert attention. I believe this is one of the strategies but it has back-fired badly.
A discerning mind will ask some questions:
1. Did Timothy actually speak to any officer at Federal Police Department of Brazil?
2. Who did Timothy speak to at the Federal Police Department of Brazil?
3. Was there a correspondence at all between Timothy and the Federal Police Department of Brazil?
4. Raymond Amankwah has been jailed in Brazil years back, why did it take half a decade to establish he was using a diplomatic passport?
5. The color and features of a diplomatic passport is clearly different from a normal passport, how could this elude Brazilian immigration officials for 5 years?
6. What are the real intentions of Timothy in twisting the facts of this story?
7. Who is paying Timothy to undertake this dirty job?
The flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party, Nana Akufo resigned as Foreign Minister in 2007 to contest for the NPP flag-bearership race. The malicious plan to smear him has failed. According to Felix Kwakye “the onus lies with Kwaku Baako to prove that the NPP flag-bearer is innocent and that Nana did not issue a diplomatic passport to Raymond Amankah as it is being alleged.” This was the real intention of the Daily Graphic story reproduced by NDC faithful, Timothy Gobah. The story was supposed to set the tone for the “largely inexperienced and absolutely ignorant”government communicators like Felix to launch attacks on the personality of Mr. Akufo Addo. They have failed miserably.
I have already established per the correspondence with Ms Madeleine Lacsko, a Director of the Brazilian Supreme Court in 2008 that:
1. Raymond Amankwah had an ordinary passport and not a diplomatic passport.
2. The passport number was H1878450 and not D1878450.
3. Timothy Gaboh has gained notoriety for writing propaganda stories for the NDC
If indeed, Raymond Amankwah had a diplomatic passport, he would have enjoyed immunity. Readers will recall the case of Frank Benneh, the diplomat who was arrested with drugs in 1998 in Switzerland. He was transferred to Ghana to be tried because of his diplomatic credentials.
In view of the above, it is clear the mischief Felix Kwakye Fosu and his ilk sought to create did not materialize. He must address himself to the facts before making public statements.
I LOVE GHANA
Patriot Faisal Ibrahim [www.facebook.com/faisal.ibrahim1]
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