Yesterday, a video emerged on social media which was a supposed exposé by JoyNews Editor, Israel Laryea on the operations of Menzgold in the UK.
According to Israel Laryea, checks at the UK office of the Ghanaian gold dealer, Menzgold shows it does not operate the same business model, which has gotten it into trouble with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The London office, JoyNews discovered is a rented space in the massive Berkeley Square House block which houses about a thousand or more businesses, mostly seeking short term leases.
However, the Founding Editor of Ghanacelebrities.com, Chris-Vincent Febri has described his report as a laughable one.
In a very lengthy post on facebook, the controversial writer explained why Israel Laryea’s whole report was only an abysmal presentation.
He wrote,
Menzgold has said it has a London Office at Mayfair—Joy News went there and found the office, so what’s the network’s problem?
Israel Laryea in his abysmal presentation said the London Office is not huge and that they did not even have their name listed on the wall. These are stupid assertions, perhaps, it’s due to ignorance of the journalist and these are the reasons:
1. He states that the
building holds about 1000 companies/offices or so. So does he expect
every company in that building to be listed on the wall? I mean about
1000 businesses? How is that even possible?
2. He adds that the
listing comes at a cost. Is he trying to imply that Menzgold can rent a
space there but cannot pay for common listing if that was an option or
if they wanted that?
3. Israel said the Menzgold Office in Mayfair,
London is not as huge as that of Accra. Can he find out the amount
Menzgold pays in rent for that office space in London and compare it to
the amount they pay in Ghana or would have paid in Ghana in their
biggest office? This is Mayfair London, you think it’s East Legon-Accra
Huh? What kind of unintelligent comparison is that?
I was at Menzgold’s London Office earlier this month, and at Security/Reception, all I had to say was “I am here to see someone at Menzgold.”
I was asked if Menzgold is expecting me. I said Yes. One of the about 5 women at the desk asked for my name and placed a call to Menzgold’s Office—they confirmed I was being expected and I was assigned a Visitor’s Pass, push through Security and went to the 1st Floor where Menzgold is.
So, what was Israel Laryea talking about?
The question should be: Did he find Menzgold at the address or office as the company claims? Yes he did—so what’s the big deal.
He had no appointment with Menzgold and he expected to walk in there and be seen by someone from Menzgold? He couldn’t even have gone in with his camera. Once again, he thinks UK is Ghana and his poor journalism is equally practised here too.
If the BBC wants to talk to someone from Menzgold or visit their offices. The network will book an appointment and make the necessary arrangements.
Can Laryea tell me which cameras he used to film that poor video? Did he use the same number of people and cameras he would have used if he was shooting this in Ghana?
Journalism in Ghana has become a joke and that piece captures it all. What information did that piece present? That Menzgold has a small Mayfair London Office? Has the company ever said it has a castle sort of Office at Mayfair, London?
Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom’s Business in London, UK, GN TV and GN Radio occupies units in a Business Centre on Brixton Road. In Ghana, they have huge buildings—but in London, the monthly rent of the small units being occupied can pay for a year rent of a huge building at East Legon or anywhere in Ghana.
Instead of looking at the important factors, you are looking at sizes of buildings and a whole sort of nonsense.
Why would anyone think the price of a square metre in Mayfair London is equal the same in Accra and as such because a company has huge offices in Accra, it should have the same in London even if it does not need it?
Perhaps the uninformed Journalist should be told that, in London, big multinational companies rent spaces managed by Regus—for convenience, location and cost factors.
And because he did not even research, when he said he wanted to rent a space and he was asked if he wanted one of the Regus’ spaces, he didn’t even know what the hell Regus is…
Menzgold has issues with SEC which it says it’s working on resolving. I cannot comment on what’s going on with that but for a journalist to produce such a useless uninformed piece besmirching the company’s reputation is pretty sick, and offers viewers no information or education.
Let’s be serious for once as people in Ghana.
—Chris-Vincent Agyapong
Watch JoyNews report below