Anas Aremeyaw Anas

Anas Aremeyaw Anas
Anas at Oslo Freedom Forum
Born	Accra, Ghana
Education	University of Ghana
Occupations	Investigative journalist The Crusading Guide newspaper (1998–present) CEO of Tiger Eye Private Investigations Executive Director of Tiger Eye Social Foundation (2011–present)
Years active	1998–present
Notable credit(s)	Al Jazeera, Africa Investigates
Website	www.anasaremeyawanas.org

Anas Aremeyaw Anas is a Ghanaian investigative journalist born in the late 1970s. Anas's motto is "name, shame and jail", and he is famous for utilizing his anonymity as a tool in his investigative arsenal; very few people had seen his face until an "unmasking" during a BBC interview in November 2015 — and this was a prosthetic. A politically non-aligned multimedia journalist who specializes in print media and documentary, Anas focuses on issues of human rights and anti-corruption in Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa.

Anas has won critical acclaim for his work advocating for basic human rights such as the right to not be held in human slavery or servitude and for his work exposing corruption. His investigative works have won him worldwide acclaim, including President Barack Obama highlighting his virtues in a speech during a 2009 visit to Ghana: "An independent press.

A vibrant private sector. A civil society. Those are the things that give life to democracy. [...] We see that spirit in courageous journalists like Anas Aremeyaw Anas, who risked his life to report the truth." Anas has won more than 17 international awards for his investigative work. He was polled as the fifth most influential Ghanaian in 2011 by e.tv Ghana, and named one of the "Most Influential Africans of the Year" by New African magazine in December 2014. Chameleon by Ryan Mullins, a documentary about Anas's life and work, was premiered at the 2014 IDFA festival in Amsterdam.

In December 2015 Foreign Policy magazine named Anas one of 2015's leading global thinkers, an honour previously granted to the likes of Barack Obama, Aung San Suu Kyi, Pope Benedict XVI, and Malala Yousafzai. In March 2016, Anas was invited by Harvard Law School as a keynote speaker to share his experiences as an international undercover journalist creating change on the continent of Africa in 2016. He is consistently invited to talk on his work at gatherings all around the world.

In the period from October to December 2016, Anas made his first foray into public life, outside of the world of investigative journalism, as a powerful advocate for peace in his "Anas4Peace" multimedia campaign. These films, jingles and interactive social media posts brought together 22 of the most powerful non-alinged Ghanaian celebrities to advocate for peace during the election period.

Early life

Anas grew up in a military barracks in Ghana. He attended the University of Ghana. After university he turned down an opportunity to work as a reporter for the Ghanaian Times newspaper, instead choosing to join the Crusading Guide newspaper in 1998. The editor of the newspaper, Kweku Baako Jnr, had just been released from jail in the same year.

Notable investigative works

The Burger Story (1999):

This was the first undercover work by Anas. He worked as a street hawker to expose police officers who took bribes from unlicensed traders on a major highway in Accra.

2003

July - Torture on The High Seas

Anas went undercover aboard a shipping vessel of Afko fisheries to expose the maltreatment of Ghanaian workers by a Korean employer.

2005

April Bole Rebel Raid

An investigative story which exposed how Ivorian rebels invaded Ghanaian territories in 2005, made incursions into some northern communities, and subjected the inhabitants to constant torture and abuse.

In this story Anas went undercover at "Saru" and "Walata" among other villages where Ivorian rebels had invaded and captured the chief of Saru and some of his elders. As part of the investigation, Anas went as 'Prince of Walata' and managed to meet the rebel leader. He got information about the rebels' camp and operations.

After the story was reported, the government of John Kufuor took steps to address the lack of security in the affected communities. This led to the release of the chief and his elders. The government provided adequate security for the affected Ghanaian communities and secured the borders.

2006

June 13 - Eurofood Scandal

An investigation by Anas in which he went undercover as menial worker at Eurofood, a biscuit and confectionery factory in Ghana. Eurofood was using expired and maggot-infested flour to produce biscuits for public consumption in Ghana and other parts of Africa.

Torture Chamber OF Bangkok Prisons

An Anas undercover investigation where he travelled to Thailand to infiltrate its prisons as a Catholic Priest. He interviewed some Ghanaian and West African prisoners about the maltreatment and deaths of foreign prisoners in jail. He thereby exposed the abuse of Ghanaians and other expatriate prisoners in Thai prisons.

As a result of Anas' work, the government of Ghana successfully negotiated (with the government of Thailand) the transfer of all convicted Ghanaians prisoners in Thailand to Ghana.

April 2006 Passport Scandal

Posing as a rich businessman, Anas worked to expose officials within Ghana's passport office who provided Ghanaian passports to non-citizens for a fee. He made hundreds of passports using fake identities. Passports were done in the name of the then President, the Inspector General of Police and other high political and national characters to prove the system was corrupt. This led to the fast track introduction of biometric passport for Ghanaians.

2007

September 2007 Soja Bar Prostitution

An investigation into one of the largest brothels in Ghana at the time. Anas went undercover by posing as a cleaner. He exposed how some teenagers were forced into prostitution.

He also exposed Soja Bar as a place for hardened criminals and the exploitation of women. Soja Bar was later demolished by Ghanaian authorities and some of the under-aged prostitutes were taken in by Ghana's Social Welfare.

2008

Humans for Sale: DONS EXPOSED

This was an investigation Anas carried out over an eight-month period. It spanned over five countries in West Africa and Europe. He worked to penetrate an international trafficking ring, gathered evidence to prosecute a political figure, rescued 17 girls about to be trafficked, exposed corrupt immigration officials, and stood as a witness in the trial.

August 2008 - Imam's School of Shock

This is a story of a slave master who trafficked and abused 15 kids in Ghana and Togo using an Islamic school as a bait. He recruited these young victims into a life of begging and amassed significant wealth from their sweat and toil. Anas gathered evidence about these inhumane acts through the use of a hidden camera. This led to the arrest of the slave master.

2010

January 2010 - Inside Ghana’s Madhouse

Undercover in Ghana’s biggest psychiatric hospital Anas exposed patient’s human rights abuses.

April 2010 - In The Interest Of The State

Exposed cocoa smugglers and their cohorts in Ghana’s security system

September 2010 - Orphans Home Of Hell – Osu

Undercover in Ghana’s biggest state run orphanage. Exposed corruption and abuse of children in the facility

2011

February 2011 - Enemies Of The Nation

Undercover to expose fraud and corruption at one of Ghana’s key points of entry, the Tema harbor.

December 2011 Al Jazeera Africa Investigates (Four films)

• Sierra Leone – Timber
• Ghana’s Gold
• Fools’ Gold
• Spell of the Albino -Tanzania

2012

January 2012 - The Prez’s Assignment - Stealing the People’s Power

A three-phase investigation into the power distribution sector in Ghana. Exposed acts of corruption on the part of employees of power distribution company ECG (electricity company of Ghana) and indebtedness on the part of individuals and companies

June 2012 - Dons Of The Forest

A follow-up to "In The Interest of The State" operation to busted a ring of people who diverted and sold fertilizers meant for the cocoa farmer.

July 2012 - Deadly Gold

An investigation into the negative effects of illegal gold mining in Ghana.

September 2012 - Wild Ghana Project

A look at how gullible and vulnerable customers can be exploited, featuring the "Abortion Lord" who had sex with his female clients when they came to him for abortions.

2013

January 2013 Al Jazeera - People and Power How To Rob Africa

This was a film on how African businesses fleece their governments and stash these stolen funds in off-shore accounts. With journalist Stanley Kwenda.

Spirit Child

Filmed in Northern Ghana, where Anas exposed the barbaric sacrifices of children who were believed to bring ill luck to their families. The story led to the arrest of some fetish priests, with Anas advocating for the prosecution of such persons.

May 2013 - The Messiah of Mentukwa

The story of how one woman Helen Jesus Christ, set up a church in a remote village in Ghana’s hinterland and convinced members that Jesus Christ was coming soon and they could only be saved if they cut themselves off the rest of the world. With that came physical abuse and children being denied access to school.

2014

April 2014 - Ghana Sex Mafia

Film built on the Chinese Sex Mafia story of February 2009. Tells the story of how Chinese girls were trafficked into Ghana and how Anas went undercover to bust the ring and testified in court leading to the prosecution of the traffickers

Ghana's Soul Takers

This was a three part investigative documentary that was centered on road safety. The first part looked at driver licensing and the corruption and fraud it is fraught with.

The second installment entitled 'Doom - the silent killer next door, tells three social interest stories of how families lost loved ones to the carnage on our roads. it also highlighted some of the dangers associated with commercial transport.

The third part examines police corruption and the tacit contribution of Ghana's traffic police (the Motor Traffic and Transport Department, MTTD) of the Police Service.

December 2014 AL Jazeera Africa Investigates - Nigeria’s Fake Doctors

Anas teamed up with colleague Rosemary Nwaebuni to blow the lid off the activities of quack doctors who are risking the lives of vulnerable people in Africa's most populous nation. The film led to the arrest of two such bogus medics who were using pharmacy shops and even beer parlours as operating theaters for persons who were in desperate need of medical attention. It presents persons who have no medical qualification or knowledge whatsoever placing women in need of abortion under the knife with the resultant fatal injuries.

Ghana’s Food For Thought

Focuses on the problem of stealing and corruption in the process of getting donated food to the starving to whom it is destined. Anas went undercover to expose the activities of the Ghana Health Service officers who ran a corrupt business by commercially selling specialized foods donated by the World Food Program (WFP) and destined free-of-charge to malnourished children in the north. It resulted in the dramatic arrest of three persons. All the suspects captured in the act of committing this crime are currently in police custody.

2015

September 2015 - Ghana judiciary scandal

On 23 September 2015 Anas premiered, in four showings, in front of a record-breaking audience of more than 6500 people, at the Accra International Conference Center, his new – and perhaps most significant to date – undercover film "Ghana In The Eyes Of God". It exposed the widespread corruption within the judiciary and graphically showed court workers like clerks and bailiffs connive with a number of respected judges to influence court cases through bribes. 34 judges and magistrates were caught on a hidden camera receiving enticements of money, goats, sheep and even foodstuff. As a result, presumed robbers, murderers, drug traffickers, rapists and litigants in land cases went free. The film effectively created a deep and destabilizing crises of conscience in Ghanaian society.

A disciplinary committee of the Judicial Council was set up to probing the allegations of bribery and extortion against the thirty-four judges and magistrates. At one point it had to have suspended its sittings following a suit by 14 Circuit Court judges at the Fast Track High Court challenging the legality or otherwise of the procedure adopted by the committee to investigate the matter.

More than 100 members of staff of the Judicial Service were then investigated after Anas submitted a petition and videos showing the affected staff receiving bribes to compromise cases. Anas has asked for the dismissal of the affected persons and as a result, the Judicial Council has begun investigations into the matter once again. The affected judges have since been suspended. Anas was given protection from prosecution but the situation remains tense. The effect of his documentary film was heightened by a number of pop songs, cartoons and other public shows of support.

On 7 December, The Council unanimously decided to remove from office 20 out of the 21 Judges and Magistrates cited in the petition. Some were removed from office without benefits and others with benefits. Those removed with benefits were remorseful when they appeared before the Committee and apologized profusely to the people of Ghana and the Judiciary for bringing the name of the institution into disrepute by their conduct. The Council, where Anas is personally presenting the evidence, resumed sitting mid-January 2016 to continue probing into the rest of the cases.

December 2015 - Nigeria's Baby Farmers

In this episode of Africa Investigates, Ghana's undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and investigative reporter Rosemary Nwaebuni teamed up to identify and expose some of those behind Nigeria's baby trade.

It is a scam that exploits couples desperate for a baby and young pregnant single mothers — often stigmatised in a country where abortion is illegal except in the most dire medical emergency. It is also a trade that international NGOs have identified as sinister and out of control.

Filming undercover, the team found bogus doctors and clinics offering spurious fertility treatments in return for large amounts of money. In their guise as a childless couple, Anas and Rosemary were falsely diagnosed by one dodgy clinician as being unable to conceive children.

2018

May 2018 - Number 12

This investigative work by Anas focuses on corruption in the Ghana Football Association (GFA). Portions of the investigative piece were shown privately to President Nana Akufo-Addo.

In the video, Kwesi Nyantakyi - the President of the GFA - is purported to be soliciting for bribes from some football investors using the name of the President, Vice President and other senior members in Government.

The President instructed the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service to arrest Kwesi Nyantakyi. He was later granted bill.

Awards and recognition

In 2008, Anas was awarded the Heroes Acting to End Modern-Day Slavery Award by the US Department of State for his contribution to the elimination of human trafficking. and also in the same year the Every Human Has Rights Award from France.

In 2009 he was awarded a certificate and cash for excellent work along with five other distinguished journalists from Africa during the CNN/Multichoice African Journalist Awards. and the Grand Norbert Zongo Prize in Investigative journalism as well as the Segbo Excellence in Investigative Journalism Award

In 2010 he was awarded the 2nd Prize of FAIR Investigative Journalism Awards by the Forum for African Investigative Reporters and The Ghanaian Journalist Association awarded him the best in anti-corruption reporting. The Association awarded him Best Investigative Reporter in 2008 and 2006 and honoured him as Journalist of the Year in 2006. Also in 2010 he was awarded the Global Health Council Award.

In 2011 he was awarded the Lorenzo Natali Prize (2nd Prize for Africa) by the European Commission Directorate- General for Development and the KCK Award for excellence in Print Journalism from India,

In 2013 he was awarded the 'African Achievers Awards', Kenya.

In 2014 he was awarded the "Engaged Journalism Award ’" by the May Chidiac Foundation. Lebanon

In 2015 he was honored by Foreign Policy as one of 2015's leading global thinkers.

In June 2016, Anas was announced as the keynote speaker at the 4th Annual African Youth Excellence Awards in The USA. and was awarded the Honorary Award for Excellence in Journalism. He had the honor of being presented with the key to the city of Worcester, Massachusetts by the Mayor.

On 27 August 2016 Anas once again won the Journalist of the Year Award from the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA in Ghana.

On 24 October 2016 Anas had an award named after him by the Press Foundation in Ghana. The founder of the press foundation Mr Listowel Yesu Bukarson said "this award was named after the world renowned investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas to aid journalists climb to the highest apogee in their chosen profession ."

In 2015 and 2016, he was ranked the Most Influential Young Ghanaian in a poll run by Avance Media.

See also

• #IAmAnas
• Corruption in Ghana

External links

• Official website
• Anas Aremeyaw Anas at TED
• Anas Aremeyaw Anas: My mission to name, shame and jail the corrupt. YouTube. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
• "'Chameleon' film on Ghanaian journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas - Investigative journalism at new heights - AfricanDevJobs". AfricanDevJobs. Retrieved 28 May 2015.