THE EDITOR of Ghana Palaver, Jojo Bruce-Quansah?s frustrations, which led him to faking a case of abduction, appear to have been heightened with apparent no support coming from his employers, and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), whose support he expected to save his house from the auctioneer?s gavel.
Last Friday, a day after Jojo emerged from hiding, after being declared missing by Kwamena Ahwoi, a leading member of National Democratic Party (NDC), Daily Guide learnt that, the embattled editor of the pro-NDC newspaper, walked out from the houses of the twice defeated NDC flagbearer, Prof John Evans Atta Mills and former President Jerry John Rawlings, with frustration visibly written on his face.
Mr. Bruce-Quansah was said to have visited Prof Mills to raise money to pay Ghana Palaver?s ?440 million judgment debt owed Mr. George Addo Kufuor, President John Agyekum Kufuor?s younger brother, before his Amanfrom residence property is sold.
Even though Prof Mills, sympathised with Jojo, he was quick to declare that he was a ?brokeman?, and therefore, could not support him financially.
?You see, our people, when you are in trouble, they won?t help you. I too I don?t have tro?, Prof Mills was said to have told the Palaver editor.
Jojo?s next point of call was the Ridge residence of former President Rawlings, where he was told in a plain language that, he should carry his own cross, and continue with the battle to demolish the NPP Administration with tales.
The former president sitting ?in state? with The Crystal Clear Lens, The Ghanaian Lens and National Democrat, the newspapers financed by his household in attendance, launched into tantrums, accusing the government of vindictiveness.
?This is part of the injustice that I have been talking to you about?, he reportedly, said, urging the pro-NDC newspapers to put pressure on the government.
He said, the newspapers have the most effective weapons to ?get this government off?, and therefore, they must not hesitate to use them.
With the reality now, dawning on Mr Bruce-Quansah, the Palaver editor is said to be arranging an alternative accommodation at an undisclosed location in Accra, at the cost of ?10million But his bank account cannot support the cost for the rented apartment a situation which still makes it necessary to fall on the goodwill of the people in the party, who are not ready to assist him, contrary to last Friday?s publication in Ghana Palaver which painted a picture of massive support for Jojo by the NDC.
With various interpretations given to the sudden disappearance, and re-surfacing of Jojo, Ghana Palaver stated on Friday that, the embattled editor, who is on the verge of losing his ?priceless? residential property at Amanfrom, near Kasoa, had enough public sympathy from genuine well-wishers, who also, support his paper, and therefore, does not need sympathy from people, the paper described as Jojo?s ?foes?.
Jojo was declared missing by the police, following a verbal and written complaint lodged by Mr. Kwamena Ahwoi that, the Palaver Editor was seen last in blood-stained cloths, by a neigbour, called Christy.
Mr. Ahwoi is said to have gone back to the police, to revise his statement, after Jojo?s own statement disputed his initial account, after he dramatically, resurfaced at the Tema end of the motorway.
Unconfirmed reports say, Jojo may have been hiding in the residence of one of the Ahwois while the police were led on a wild goose chase, through Accra and Tema, in search of the Palaver editor.
In a desperate move to revise his statement on Thursday, Kwamena Ahwoi was reported to have described himself as a female, on the column provided for gender on the statement sheet.
Jojo?s fairy tale which has been described as cock-and-bull, Daily Guide learnt, was ostensibly hatched, to attract public sympathy, in order to save his house from the auctioneer?s grips.
It will be recalled that former president Rawlings recently, at a Founder?s Forum tasked NDC members to turn falsehood into truth in the eye of the public to make the NPP Administration unpopular.
He said this at Kama Conference centre on Tuesday, November 8, 2005. The auctioneer?s gavel is expected to fall on Jojo?s Amanfrom residence by November 25, 2005, if the judgment debt of ?440 million are not settled by Ghana Palaver, whose shareholders have refused to own up allowing Mr. Bruce-Quansah to face the heavy fine.
Already, his old television set and a TICO car, said to belong to a friend, and some household items, have been carted away.
The last possession, a fowl, was said to have been slaughtered by Jojo himself and its blood smeared on his body.
With a similar misfortune befalling Ato Ahwoi, chief executive of cash-strapped Cashpro Limited, and a supposed director of Ghana Palaver, whose East Legon property was auctioned to defray Cashpro?s indebtedness to Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), Jojo decided to cry out to solicit public sympathy, with a story made in Hollywood.
He dashed out from his Amanfrom residence, and rushed to his next-door neighbours with blood-stained attires, claiming, he had been attacked by unknown assailants.
Jojo was said to have grabbed the only fowl on his compound, killed it, and smeared its blood on his clothes.
He then, dashed into a taxi, and claimed that he was taken to a doctor friend?s house at Tema for treatment, after being subjected to a thorough beating by his eight attackers, five of whom were hooded.
Even though Jojo has refused to take police to the Tema residence of his doctor friend, claiming that, the unknown doctor doesn?t want to be dragged into politics.
The editor denied to the police after his emergence on Wednesday, a day after he was declared missing that, his clothes were soaked with blood. Rather, he said, he found himself in a pool of water.
He then made up a new story that he was hit with towels tied with knots, until he fell unconscious, only to wake up in a pool of water.
Jojo who claimed that he was given intra-venous injection by his doctor friend at Tema, upon close examination by doctors at the Police Hospital, has no puncture spot on his buttocks, nor any mark on his body. An inspection tour of the Kasoa residence also, revealed very dry grounds with no evidence of pools of water, towels or a struggle.
A source close to Kuku Hill campaign office said, when Jojo emerged, there wasn?t a scratch, nor bruise on his body.
He presented a picture, reminiscent of Afua Djansi-Asamoah of Joy FM fame, which eventually turned out to be a cock and bull story. Daily Guide learnt that, Jojo was most probably at the residence of one of the Ahwois, for safekeeping.