Yaw Boadu-Ayeboafoh, NMC Chairman
Authorities in the United Kingdom (UK) have denied any knowledge of the London Metropolitan Police impounding £15 million from an unidentified Ghanaian.
A report by Citinewsroom indicates that both the UK Financial Intelligence Unit and the Border Agency denied knowledge of claims suggesting that £15 million had been impounded from a Ghanaian upon arriving in London.
A short video making rounds on various social media platforms claims a prominent member of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) was apprehended in the UK by the London Metropolitan Police, and an amount of £15 million impounded from him.
In what appears as a calculated attempt to draw bad blood for government, the individual in the video did not mention any specific name except to say the person is often times referred to as ‘Prime Minister’.
It adds to a growing list of unsubstantiated claims making rounds on social media in recent times, raising further questions about the threat of fake news to national development.
The rumours claimed the said Ghanaian initially carried $1.5 million on a chartered flight to London and when questioned upon his arrival, he said it was the proceeds of a certain contract which he was going to invest in London.
“He then took another £15 million pounds sterling to London, and now the money has been impounded,” claimed the video.
The video further claimed that the London Metropolitan Police then asked the said Ghanaian to provide proof of the contract that fetched him that money.
“He now has to fall on a ‘topmost’ official at the GRA (Ghana Revenue Authority) to help him with documentation, but the said officer said it had become impossible to do that,” the rumours claimed.
It added that the UK officials subsequently impounded the £15 million from the Ghanaian.
DAILY GUIDE has not independently verified the authenticity or otherwise of the rumours, but checks by Citinewsroom indicates that both the UK Financial Intelligence Unit and the Border Agency have stated that they have no record of any such amount being seized from any Ghanaian.
“However, the UK Financial Intelligence Unit and the Border Agency have stated that they have no records of any money being seized from any individual from Ghana,” the report added.
The phenomenon once again brings to bear calls by many Ghanaians on the National Media Commission (NMC) for a stricter legislation to check the rising spate of misinformation in the country.
Ghanaians have asked the NMC to exert its authority in bringing sanity to the media landscape, particularly social media, where these ‘Fake News’ is being propagated to mislead the public.
This, many say, is necessary to protect the right to freedom of expression and maintain the peace, security and democracy of the country.
Many stakeholders have complained about the current spate of disinformation, which they say devalued the entire communications experience and undermined the truth and integrity of public discourse.
By Gibril Abdul Razak