There is a video circulating on social media that depicts respected journalist Israel Laryea, doing a report in London. The aim of the report appears to be to throw more light on the activities of gold trading company, Menzgold, in London. He is seen before a commercial property he indicates as Berkeley Square House where he states is the location of Menzgold’s London office. He indicates in the introduction that he is going to enter the building, proceed to the Menzgold office and purport to buy gold. This was in a bid to ascertain if Menzgold London office was running as was indicated by the Chief Executive, Nana Appiah, somewhere in July, 2018 and also to throw more light on the nature of their gold dealings in UK.
Watching the video at this point, I was extremely excited. I was eagerly anticipating what is to come like a virgin groom on the night of the wedding day (yes! Virgin Groom. Men are people too). With all the noise and merry making going on about Menzgold and Aurum Utallium and the likes, we were all excited to learn if Menzgold was successfully running its business in the UK as it was in Ghana. Of course, if it was running in UK, it would give ammunition to the supporters of NAM1 who believe Ghanaians like to witch-hunt their own. What would be more exciting than having proof that even the Queen’s country allow Menzgold to operate whilst common Ghana that the Queen colonized is rejecting the Menzgold business? On the other hand, those who believe Menzgold activities are fraudulent eagerly anticipated proof that they were right; hopefully by being told that Berkeley Square House did not have any company by name Menzgold there.
Me, I especially looked forward to seeing the beautiful view of the much heralded Berkeley Square House.
So we followed Israel into the building. He was dressed in jeans, buttoned shirt and had a blazer on; typical of some dada bee rich guy with shades of grey in his beard that made him look classy. Immediately, I faced my first disappointment when Israel said he could not film the lobby because security was tight. Ah!! Israel paaa!! Don’t you see what Anas does all the time? He films prisons, FA presidents, security personnel, prostitutes etc. And you, because of common security man, we could not get a video of the beautiful lobby of Berkeley Square House. Next time just consult a certain Kwaku wae. But Anas too make quiet of late oo. Anyway.
Israel says access to the building is tight so he had to pose as someone looking for office space! Wait oo. Was he sent to Berkeley Square or Guantanamo Bay?! Which office building is security so tight that before you can enter you have to pretend you are not there to do business with the companies in the building? So do people pay tens of thousands of pounds to do business in a building where customers cannot come and do business? This one de3333 I think Israel was intimidated by the fineness of the building and assumed they wouldn’t let him, a mere mortal, walk in just like that. I am assuming he thought the conversation with the receptionist would go something like this:
Israel: Hello, I am Israel; I am visiting the Menzgold office.
Receptionist: Are you immortal?
Israel: No please
Receptionist: Do you have thirty billion for your account?
Israel: No please
Receptionist: Why would you want to do business with any company in this building if you are not immortal or have thirty billion for your account oo?
Israel: Ummm. I am sorry, I didn’t know
Receptionist: Do you like cats?
Israel: As food or as pet?
Receptionist: Damn you Israel!! Get out!!
Media person(s) from Gh Page claim to have gone to this very building to visit the Menzgold office. They say they were given name tags and sent to the floor that Menzgold occupies. Why was it difficult for Israel to do same and he had to pretend to be looking for office space? Ah well, maybe he just wanted to have the adrenaline feel of doing an Anas job. Ei so where is Nyantakyi? Anyway.
When Israel was asked by the receptionist whether he was looking for office space in the Regus company, he was at a loss. He obviously did not do any background search on companies that were in charge of leasing in the building. I wonder what answers he gave when the steward showing him round the office space asked him questions like what square meter he wants, what kind of business he wants the space for, how long his lease will be for… etc.
Although he is being showed round office space, he is now able to whip out his camera and take some quick shots of the Menzgold office in the building probably at the blind side of the office steward. Hurraay for Israel!! He takes a photo of the entrance to the Menzgold office which was decorated with some gold and black coloured balloons, probably because they had still not removed them from the recent launch. Israel says he saw two ladies who “looked Ghanaian” coming out from the Menzgold office “and that was about the only clue we picked up about the company’s presence”.
The next scene was of Israel standing outside the Berkeley Square house again. His job was done!! Ebeiii Israel!! So what stopped him from interacting with the two ladies who “looked Ghanaian”? Even if you did not want to let them know you were investigating Menzgold, couldn’t you have approached them as a Ghanaian and say “3te s3n? We too we have come to UK some. Do you have your work permit yet?” This is standard borga conversation. I so much wanted to see the insides of the office. One girl bi I know told me she was selected to work in Menzgold office in UK. Nowadays her calls don’t go through; so me I dunno if it’s because she is now using UK number or she is doing me 419. I wanted to see if the video will capture her in the office. I strongly suspect she is hiding at Fiapre in Sunyani.
Was Israel scared, confused, uncertain or was he just in a hurry to go and check out Picadilly Square? Joy has cut plane ticket for you to fly aaa to UK to do a Menzgold report, you get to the doorstep of Menzgold and you do not enter?! This research he did de3 they could have simply used Google Earth to do it at a cheaper cost.
I am not against the idea of finding out more information about Menzgold; it’s good for all stakeholders especially at this ,material time. The initiative was good. But for you to do this sloppy investigation for us does not help matters at all. Some would even say you have been paid to unsettle the general public. As you know, Ghana pipos we like talking and sharing opinion but if we were given the role, we wouldn’t be able to do. So forgive me if I sound like I know better than you who has been in this field for a looong time. The thing is, seasoned journalists like you, have given us the citizens, a taste of how good reportage is done. So we are measuring your report based on the standards that you and your colleagues have set. So dear Israel, your name means “wrestle with God”, if you have not left UK yet, please go back to wrestle them in the Berekeley office. Follow these steps:
- Tell the receptionist you are sorry about the last time and that you like cats.
- Tell her you want to go to do business at Menzgold. She will let you through, she is not Medusa.
- Enter the Menzgold office; ask them what they need from you to be able to invest; you dressed like a borga, go and flex them that you will close Berkeley House if they don’t give you info etc. They are Ghana pipos, those things scare them
- And most importantly, please ask if Abena Fosua works there wae. If she is there, tell her to call me na nipa hia mmoa.
Contact the writer via email onomahcomm@gmail.com
