“We haven’t invited journalist over Second Lady’s chalk comment”– BNI says

The Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) says it has not invited any journalist for questioning over the Second Lady’s “chalk” comment.

A reporter of Green FM, Nana Oppong Kyekyeku, said he received a call from an “unknown” number on Friday inviting him to the BNI for questioning in relation to his report on the Second Lady’s chalk comment.

He said the fact that the number was “unknown” and the way the caller spoke made him attach credibility to the call and has since been preparing to go to the BNI on Tuesday with his lawyer.

A source at the top hierarchy of the BNI has, however, told manassehazure.com that it is not.

“We have not invited any journalist for questioning. I have checked and there’s nothing like that. It is not true,” the source said.

Nana Oppong Kyekyeku is said to be the first journalist to report Mrs. Matilda Amissah Arthur’s outburst when the headmistress of Kukurantumi Presbyterian Basic School requested basic teaching and learning materials from the government, including chalk.

“The elderly say if you want to communicate something to God, you say it to the wind. We are therefore requesting of you to tell government to try and come to our aide with these things which are in short supply in the school…,” Mrs Oppong humbly appealed.

This did not go down well with the second lady and she retorted:

“I think we have over pampered you people. Because we have provided free school uniforms so parents don’t even want to buy basic things for their children…I will not give you chalk today, neither will I give it to you tomorrow. You have teachers; you have the PTA, go and buy chalk for the school.”

“I will even feel shy to go to Accra and call on the government to come and provide chalk…it would be very difficult for me to do so…,” she added.

Mrs. Matilda Amissah Arthur yesterday apologised for the comment.

“The comments I made have been in the media since I made them. When the headmistress asked for chalk, my response was intended to encourage community participation in the school. If I have offended anybody, I take this opportunity to say I am very sorry,” she said.

Information circulating on social media has it that the reporter who broke the story has been invited by the BNI to answer questions concerning the second lady’s comment.

Nana Oppong Kyekyeku told Adom FM that apart from the call from the supposed official of the BNI, which has turned out to be untrue, some people have accused him of doctoring the tape. He has denied tampering with the tape.

He said some people have politicised his reportage and are accusing him of doing the report to score political points. He added that there are concerns that the headmistress who made the appeal to the Second Lady will be transferred as a punishment for her conduct.