May 24

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HERITAGE THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2018
Investigative journalism
and Ghana’s democracy:
the empirical case of Anas
BY KABU NARTEY
FOR ALMOST 20 years
now, the democratic
foundations of this country
have been shaken to
the core.
The resilience and longevity of
political governance, accountability,
the protection of human rights and
democracy at large, have been tested
at least once every year through
works of ace investigative journalist,
Anas Aremeyaw Anas. Not forgetting
the likes of Manasseh Azure
among others.
From his days as a street hawker
to expose some corrupt police officers
who took bribe under the angry
sun ; from his undercover at the
high seas to unearth the inhuman
treatment of Ghanaians by a Korean
employer; the invasion of the territory
of Ghana by Ivorians in 2005;
the gory exposè on the use of maggots,
expired and infested flour at
the Eurofoods company; the demoralising
story of Ghanaian expatriate
prisoners in Thai prisons; to his
cleaner role during the undercover
on the Soja Bar Prostitution in September
2007; then to his biggest hit,
Ghana in the Eyes of God about
the corruption in the judiciary,
among others.
As Ghana awaits yet another
shocker, dubbed Number 12, one
that would name some ‘bad guys’ in
the arena of politics and sports,
Ghanaians, media practitioners and
the entire media world needs to reflect
on the pivotal role of undercover
journalism, though, many
argue is unethical. Investigative journalism
has deepened constitutional
democracy in this country despite
the ethical dilemma that it puts reporters
in.
Investigative journalism has ensured
the protection of the fundamental
human rights of citizens
through the watch-dogging role; the
fight against all degrees of corruption,
as well as giving a fearful
facelift to the Fourth Estate of the
Realm, the profession.
For the purposes of this brief,
however, I shall define investigative
journalism in the eyes of my protagonist,
Anas who says…naming,
shaming and jailing (Undercover,
2015). The Investigative Reporters
and Editors on the other hand puts
it this way “In-depth, detailed, original
work through a reporter’s own
initiative.”
I summarise Ghana’s democracy
on the other hand in the words of
Barack Obama in his address to the
Parliament of Ghana in 2009 – “An
independent Press. A vibrant private
sector. A civil society. Those are the
things that give life to democracy.”
In extension, an open society where
the basic rights of citizens are upheld;
a transparent and accountable
system of rule and wise use of state
resources are critical areas of
democracy.
In the history of Ghana, the
former has greatly shaped the latter
in four basic ways:
Investigative journalism has better
equipped the Ghanaian media for
results
The freedom and independence
of the press guaranteed under chapter
12 of the 1992 Constitution have
been obeyed only on paper. Journalists
are still not free or independent
of the government and private manipulations.
Working conditions of
journalists still remain poor: a case
of the 59th anniversary parade of
Ghana (reporters bused into a truck
to cover the torching of the perpetual
flame by the president). Reporters
are still abused by public
officers in echelons of leadership: a
case of Yahaya Kwamoah of Radio
Ghana; among many abuses of disregard
for journalists across the
country.
This, coupled with the absence of
the Right to Information Bill, seems
to suggest to many media bullies
that the Ghanaian media since the
military regime has become dormant,
hence cannot bite in performing
or get daring in performing its
social responsibility functions. These
bullies argue that the media cannot
adopt surreptitious means of performing
its watchdog functions.
Now for instance, every student of
the Ghana Institute of Journalism is
jokingly tagged as Anas and on a
mission to expose the ‘bad guys’ in
society.
It has indeed made a profession
not a lazy one but a solution-driven
one, and this has propelled the development
of this country.
It has led the fight against
Corruption: A case of Chapter 24
of the Constitution
Investigative reporting is increasingly
important in mitigating corruption,
which is a major impediment to
developing democratic institutions
and laws (Sullivan, 2013).
Through the undercover of
Anas, corruption of varying magnitudes
spanning all areas of Ghana’s
socio-economic and political development
have had some public outrage,
judicial address, administrative
reforms and prosecutions. Anas’ expose,
passport scandal did not only
lead to the immediate adoption of
the biometric passport for Ghanaians
as a critical operational reform,
it also exposed the criminal doings
of passport officials in making passports
for non-citizens of this country.
Inside Ghana’s Madhouse 2010
helped to name, shame and jailed
some officials at the Accra Psychiatric
Hospital. Similar abuse of minors was
brought to book in his project Orphans
Home of Hell, an undercover in
Ghana’s biggest state-run orphanage.
Furthermore, over 100 members of
the Judicial Service, clerks, bailiffs;
about 34 judges and magistrates were
culprits in the biggest scandal, the Judicial
Scandal in September 2015.
Some excluded in the 34 were praised
for their incorruptible efforts in helping
administer quality justice for the
country. By this, enterprise reporting
doesn’t only name, shame and jail, but
also praises good deeds if need be.
Strong activism against
human rights abuses: A case of
Articles (12 – 30) of the constitution
Culture and Religion as a way of
•Anas Aremeyaw Anas' next expose' is
expected to be premiered in June
life of Ghanaians form a large part
of our lives in this part of the world.
The gross disrespect for human existence
is now gradually reducing despite
the recalcitrance of some
conservative cultural indulgers. The
social fabric of the nation hitherto
was plagued by many abuses.
Anas’ The Messiah of Mentukwa
told of the ordeal of some Christians
who fell victims of the ‘Jesus-is-coning-soon’
doctrine by one woman
called Helen Jesus Christ. These victims
followed this doctrine into solitary
confinement. This led to many
physical abuses and the denial of the
minors to school.
Moreover, child abuse and child
trafficking have had a bite from Anas’
project reporting. Fifteen kids enslaved
to one fake Imam were rescued in his
work titled Imam’s school of Shock,
2018
Anas at a point did not only report,
he stepped into the witness box to ensure
the jailing of the Dons who soled
humans in five African countries,
Ghana inclusive. Another investigative
venture lasted for over eight months.
The aim was to penetrate an international
trafficking ring. S even
girls were rescued to the glory of
democracy and human existence in
that raid.
The advocacy for true accountability;
equal resource allocation
& social justice:
Article 1 of the GJA Code of
Ethics advocates the right to true information
by citizens. Kovach and
Rosenstiel’s second element of journalism
states that the first loyalty of
the journalist is to none but the citizens.
The above ethos and standards
are further buttressed by the constitution
as argued earlier. But who
asks for the periodic reviews or audits
of public institutions; who calls
for the sensitive-but-relevant details
needed for public development that
is unlawfully hoarded? ; What comes
of the tax-payer’s money? How
much is being spent on their roads
and other social intervention programmes
etc?
Decentralisation is a pillar of
democracy and this demands the
equal allocation of state resources.
This is at the back of very deplorable
conditions of some rural
areas in the country. It is worth noting
that the efforts of civil societies
and other relevant partners in development
are dependent on the social
justice campaign by investigative
journalism.
These bodies, governments and
individuals use the data and findings
of this venture to provide help to
communities who need them. A
classic example was the steps taken
by the erstwhile Kufuor administration
to beef up security for Ghanaians
in “Walata” and “Saru” after
Anas filed a report titled the Bole
Rebel Raid in 2005. This story told
of how some inhabitants of the
northern corridor were suppressed
and abused by Ivorian invaders
Through enterprise journalism,
Ghana is not only aware of the
deep-seated corruption within sacrosanct
bodies like the Judiciary, we
have also learned that resources allocated
across the country to (for instance)
the Osu Orphanage Home,
the Accra Psychiatric hospital, the
Tema harbor are diverted into individuals’
pockets and accounts.
In conclusion, it goes without
saying that Ghana may be experiencing
over 25 years of constitutional
democracy. However, this story is
not complete without the role of the
investigative journalist. This profession
has helped shape the democratic
history of this country and it
shall continue to do so through the
courageous and faceless works of
Anas Aremeyaw Anas and the many
hard-working fellows in the profession.
Long live the profession.