Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has pushed back against suggestions that his career was built on persistent criticism of former President John Dramani Mahama.
The journalist’s response comes after Metro TV, in a social media post, quoted Beatrice Annangfio from the Office of the President as saying that “Manasseh created a career out of criticizing Mahama.”
Awuni, in a lengthy response on Facebook, said it was misleading to suggest that his journalism hinged on attacking Mr Mahama. He pointed out that his career had taken shape long before Mahama became president, noting that by 2011, when he was only 26, he had already been named Ghana’s overall best journalist, having won seven awards with none linked to anti-government reporting.
“I want President Mahama to succeed, so I will prompt him when he’s headed in the wrong direction,” Awuni wrote, stressing that his criticism of leaders stems from a commitment to accountability, not partisan alignment.
He cited his groundbreaking investigation into the GYEEDA scandal in 2013 as the first major instance when his work directly involved Mahama’s administration, but said more than 90 percent of his international awards came from work done during the Akufo-Addo government.
Awuni also argued that he has been as much a supporter of President Mahama as a critic, praising him as a tolerant leader who allowed press freedom and contrasting him favourably against Former President Akufo-Addo in the fight against corruption. “Those who say I criticise President Mahama should be minded to add that I praise him when I have to,” he said.
Beyond defending his record, Awuni underscored his broader role in Ghana’s journalism landscape. He highlighted investigative works such as “Robbing the Assemblies,” “Contracts for Sale,” and the COVID-19 fumigation scandal exposé, which he says saved the country hundreds of millions of dollars.
“My dear Beatrice, I’ve stated many times, I want President Mahama to succeed. If he succeeds, Ghana prospers,” he wrote, comparing his role to the child in Hans Christian Andersen’s The Emperor’s New Clothes—a voice of uncomfortable truth.
Awuni concluded by reiterating that his duty as a journalist is not to sing praises but to hold leaders accountable.
