<<Print>>A group calling itself the Movement For The Protection Of Local Entrepreneurs (MPLE) has advised President Akufo-Addo to call his Lebanese friend and journalist, Fadi Dabbousi to stop attacking and pestering genuine businessmen and local entrepreneurs in the country.
According to the group, the constant harassment of local entrepreneurs by the Lebanese journalist is worrying adding that his actions contradict the NPP’s mantra, “the private sector is the engine of growth”.
“For some strange reasons this so-called journalist who is close to the presidency has been making monstrous and dangerous allegation against Ghanaian businessmen under the guise of exposing alleged corruption committed by these businessmen. Sadly, he ends up ruining the hard won reputation of these individuals since he fails to provide any shred of evidence in his articles,” the group said in a statement.
“We therefore challenge Fadi Dabbousi to come out with a smidgeon of proof or documentary evidence on all the unscrupulous allegations levelled and published against some successful local entrepreneurs in this country, and this must be done in a ‘hurry’ which is in line with the NPP government’s commitment to Ghanaians,” the statement also stressed.
Below is the full statement:
PRESS STATEMENT
PRESIDENT AKUFO-ADDO MUST CALL LEBANESE FRIEND TO ORDER
We (Movement For The Protection Of Local Entrepreneurs) want to draw the attention of President Akufo- Addo, the National Media Commission, Ghana Journalists Association and other well-meaning Ghanaians to the persistent, cruel and vicious attacks on local businessmen by a so-called Lebanese journalist, Fadi Dabbousi.
For some strange reasons this so-called journalist who is close to the presidency has been making monstrous and dangerous allegation against Ghanaian businessmen under the guise of exposing alleged corruption committed by these businessmen. Sadly, he ends up ruining the hard won reputation of these individuals since he fails to provide any shred of evidence in his articles.
We believe that Mr. Dabbousi has the right to freedom of speech as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution but he must not abuse it by constantly making false claims against local businessmen perceived to be his party’s political opponents. More so, he must desist from inciting the state security apparatus including the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) against these innocent individuals particularly when he has not provided any shred of evidence to back many of his dodgy and unimaginable articles.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) government prides itself in promoting and growing the private sector and must therefore not allow its apologists to use their ‘links’ with government to run down perceived and purported political opponents. Of course, if any of these local businessmen is found to have engaged in any corrupt activity, he or she must be hauled before the law courts for prosecution. Our aim is not to shield any alleged corrupt individual but to protect genuine local businessman who are being ‘witch- hunted’ by certain individuals who boast about their links to the current government. We therefore challenge Fadi Dabbousi to come out with a smidgeon of prove or documentary evidence on all the unscrupulous allegations levelled and published against some successful local entrepreneurs in this country, and this must be done in a ‘hurry’ which is in line with the NPP government’s commitment to Ghanaians.
Ironically, Fadi whose numerous monstrous and illogical articles threaten the survival of Ghanaian businesses, is the person supporting Mawarko Restaurant over its recent inhuman ‘Pepper Attack’ an act that has been condemn by all loyal and cherished citizens of this country including statesmen. In one of his vile articles, he claimed that the widespread condemnation of the assault had the potential of scaring investors and that the “unjustified” attacks against Marwarko could cost over 400 jobs in the country. Mr. Dabbousi went on to wear black attire to mourn and sympathise with Mawarko with the lame excuse that the company was being vilified unnecessarily by the media and the general public.
Is it the case that Fadi Dabbousi is offering solidarity to Mawarko merely because the owner is also Lebanese and needed some form of protection from his fellow countryman? If that is the case, what about the indigenous local businessmen who are on daily basis being hounded by this Lebanese journalist and a citizen by birth under the guise of journalism? Aren’t they also humans? It can therefore be safely argued that, the evil-inspired articles of Fadi could cost thousands of jobs as a result of the unsubstantiated allegations.
It is quite obvious that Fadi’s articles are a figment of his own imagination and that as a so-called professional journalist, he must be guided by high professional standards and abide by the GJA code of ethics and stop conjuring allegations against decent Ghanaians.
We are therefore calling the NPP government led by President Akufo-Addo, the National Media Commission and the Affail Monnie’s led Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to call this intellectual hoodlum to order before he destroys genuine businessmen.
Certainly, this is not the CHANGE we voted for; we voted for a government that would ensure a fair playing field by protecting local businessmen and entrepreneurs and not the other way round.
Long live local entrepreneurs!
Long live Ghana!
Patrick Duah Agyeman
(CONVENER, MOVEMENT FOR THE PROTECTION OF LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS)