As we go into the 2016 Elections, our political news desk would be putting some personalities in the country on the spotlight. In this edition, we start from our own house, the media fraternity, with the celebrated journalist and owner of the Crusading Guide, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako Jr.


Kweku Baako, as he is popularly called, carries himself about as the repository of knowledge and epitome of wisdom, which unfortunately, has been hailed and glorified by some unsuspecting and gullible Ghanaians who fail to interrogate issues before drawing conclusions.


Mr Baako, who touts himself as an objective journalist, has for some few years now, refused to be honest and sincere in the discharge of his duties as a journalist. We could recall how he was vociferous in the defence of the IFC loan agreement which turned out later to be a scam as well as the infamous CNTCI loan which turned out to be a mirage with the address of a hairdressing salon. Mr Baako, as usual of him, was all over the place with some documents claiming to prove and support the credibility of the CNTCI loan when everyone practically had issues with it. His credibility was shredded when the loan was traced to a hair dressing salon. The fair-weather friend of the President John Kufour-led New Patriotic Party(NPP) government could do anything humanly possible to defend the government even when he had no knowledge about the issue at hand.


One would have expected that Mr. Baako would have exited the corridors of power when the New Patriotic Party(NPP) lost power in 2008 but as "smart" as he is, he has managed to find his way back into the corridors of power. In all his screaming criticisms against politicians and public office holders, he has refused to criticise the president and his brother Ibrahim Mahama who is the owner of Engineers and Planners, even when they are in the news for all the negative reasons. Mr. Baako will intelligently find a way to hang the deeds and sins of the president around the necks of his appointees and criticise them instead. Those who follow Mr Baako and know him very well are not surprised because he has mentioned it severally on radio that the president is a close friend. And it is not surprising President Mahama sponsored Kweku Baako's luxurious wedding which he[President Mahama] was even present himself to give support to his bosom friend.


Sources close to the Flagstaff House and the "Labone Coffee Shop Mafia" reveal to our political news desk that Mr. Baako is on the media payroll of the president and the First Family. As most of you are already aware, President John Mahama was a member of the much-talked-about "Labone Coffee Shop Mafia" which includes Peace Fm Kokroko's Kwame Sefa Kaye, Egbert Faible Jnr, Metro TV's Randy Abbey, Alfred Obgaami et al. Though he is now the President of Ghana, he has managed to maintain this relationship with his LCSM friends. Struggling with honesty and sincerity in his criticisms, Mr. Baako sees everything wrong about anything that the government does but always finds a way to leave the president and his brother out which is part of his job description as a leading member of Ibrahim Mahama's communication team.


Our readers could recall how he defended the infamous SADA "guinea fowl" scandal which the AGAMS Group and Ronald Agambire were involved. Our investigations reveal how he benefited a Mitsubishi SUV from Mr. Agambire which is obviously to recognize and reward his spirited defence and support for the AGAMS Group in the media.

This veteran journalist has allowed himself to be used as a puppet of the opposition New Patriotic Party(NPP) and its Flag-bearer by throwing mud at the perceived pro-Kufour elements in the party. It is only when there is an internal misunderstanding that Mr Baako would be seen or heard making a strong case for Nana Akufo-Addo as he demonises the perceived pro-Kufuor elements. He sees nothing wrong with none of the political judgments of the opposition leader especially when it is about the internal issues of the party. One could clearly observe that most of his comments about the internal issues of the New Patriotic Party(NPP) are those that only fuel and stoke fire instead of making peace. This is exactly why he is called the "CPP Trojan Horse" within the media circles.


Sources close to the opposition leader confirmed to the New Free Press that Mr. Baako has been promised a state of the art printing press and a newspaper production expansion amidst other goodies should the New Patriotic Party(NPP) win power. It is obvious this is exactly where he derives the inspiration and strength to attack the perceived pro-Kufour elements so as to catch the eye of the opposition leader.


In his recent attempt to throw mud at the suspended National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party(NPP), Mr Paul Afoko, for his interview with the African Watch Magazine, Mr. Baako ended up humiliating himself for failing to produce a video and an audio to substantiate his claims that Mr. Afoko indeed participated in the infamous Serbian training program of the party. A man known for having every political document to support his allegations has failed to produce a single audio or video after threatening to do so. The New Free Press is challenging him to produce the said video and audio to support his claims since we will not look on for any journalist including the senior ones drag the name of our noble profession to the mud with palpable falsehood and lies.

Contrary to Mr. Baako's claims that Mr. Afoko was there on the first day to open the training program, our own investigation revealed that Mr. Afoko was there but on the last day when the New Patriotic Party's(NPP) National Women's Organiser, Madam Otiko Afisa Djaba took him there after she had given him a tip off about the Serbian training. So any video or audio Mr. Baako produces should show and prove his claims that Mr. Afoko was there on the first day to open the training program.


Mr Baako is clearly playing this political game of convenience by pleasing both power houses in the country. Though he comes across as an appendage of the Akufo-Addo faction of the New Patriotic Party(NPP), he is frolicking with the First family and some leading members of the NDC Government. It is sad and disturbing to our noble profession to see one of our celebrated and veteran journalists advancing the agenda of the two power houses in the country as their media "errands boy". No wonder he cannot take on certain powers that be in the country and he is ever prepared to wash their dirty stuffs for them under the pretentious claim of being a senior journalist.

As we draw the curtain on this edition, we challenge him to come out and tell the whole world how he got his his $600,000.00 mansion at Spintex road, and the person who bought it for him, including the Mitsubishi Pajero and Toyota Rav 4 and the SUVs he owns. Who sponsors his luxurious lifestyle? Mr. Baako is not known to own any business aside the New Crusading Guide which brings very little to the table.

The 'opportunist' Kweku Baako has no permanent friends but permanent interest. All that matters is the power and money to make him comfortable.



Alhaji Suraju Musah Mohammed
Managing Editor
New Free Press
Abavana Down
Kotobabi