Tips to unmasking corporate and individual shams

Often, from nowhere, the names of individuals and companies literally erupt to capture national attention, and become household names. Often, we do not know from whence they had come, of their pedigree, of their track record, and of the source of their sudden wealth. We do not know which stone or rock they stand on. They may even be standing on quicksand.  

We only know of their arrival in our public space and consciousness as successful and therefore important. With the so-called success comes fame and the attendant hero-worshipping by society. Sadly, some of us over-enthusiastically display affection and tend to stop thinking around so-called successful folks, allowing rationality to fade away. It is as if we are very gullible and so accept people without question. 

Some companies and individuals therefore take our people for granted whilst projecting themselves as shinning stars although they are nothing but hot air. Often, I wonder why it appears that it is fairly easy for individuals to audaciously dupe some Ghanaians. Is it just human nature or this phenomenon is more common among some people more than others? 

The reckless financial decisions and actions of some citizens, to which the state failed to exercise its regulatory responsibilities, is bearing fruits. As a country, we should therefore learn from the painful lessons. Truly, our national mantra should be: “Never again!” Collectively, we should become alert to the signals to look out for, which may suggest that a company or an individual may be scheming to dupe us. Our antennae should be erected high to spot the clues. 

The following is my compilation of top eight tips that may suggest that a crook (a company and/or an individual) is warming up to exploit the unsuspicious, the gullible, and the naïve. Some individuals and companies display some or all of the following traits. 

1)     UNEXPLAINED WEALTH: Wealth that is acquired through questionable means should call for the raising of eyebrows rather than envy, admiration and praises. A friend of yours who is on the hard struggling side of poverty suddenly becomes rich. Even a cursory analysis of his/her sources of money do not yield any meaningful explanations; in other words, it does not make sense. For instance, the person works in a government institution and had not received any significant promotion with the accompanying pay raise. Since money does not grow on trees, the person’s wealth could be the outcome of corruption and other illicit means. My late grandfather, Nana Kwadwo Ansah Israel, used to say that when you see someone who always carries a briefcase and in possession of a bunch of keys, be suspicious because the person may be a thief. 

2)     SUDDEN SUCCESS: Some people clamour for rapid upward mobility to enhance their social status. Look out for the clues and question what you observe. For instance, if from nowhere, someone you know appears with high-level tertiary degrees like Masters and doctorate degrees, ask questions. Just because they claim to be Dr So-so-and-so should be no reason why you should follow their self-constructed bandwagon. That high claim should prompt questions in you instead of adoration. Young NAM1 of the infamous Menzgold became the big toast of Ghana, given red carpet treatments. Instead of being suspicious, some people entrusted their nest eggs as investments in Menzgold. See where we are now!

3)     NEEDINESS SELF-AGGRANDISEMENT: When companies and individuals display an inordinate need to be noticed, recognized, and hero-worshipped, we should treat them with caution. It is as if some crooks know that Ghanaians respond very well to people’s need to be hero-worshipped. A peek into the graveyard of collapsed companies shows that their founders were the toasts of society. Books were written about them. They were sought after as speakers at events. In no time, some took on titles. Doc and Nana are two favourite titles. From nowhere, they become “Development” chiefs of villages or hamlets anywhere in the armpit of Ghana. 

4)     CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR): Companies engage with society as good corporate citizens to help solve societal problems. The message is that the company does not take all of its profits and that it truly cares about society. It is a good thing. But we should question the hidden motives. Some companies use CSR as a camouflage. For instance, Unibank was sponsoring Operation Smile, a group of volunteers that provide free surgical interventions for people with facial deformities, especially cleft lips and palates. I volunteered for Operation Smile two years ago and felt a ton-load of gratitude toward Unibank. Yet, it has turned out that Unibank was a sham. 

5)     AGGRESSIVE PROMOTIONAL BLITZ: Suddenly, a company comes around and is heard of all over the place. Some individuals behave the same way. The companies or individuals suddenly become media darlings and newsmakers. Their names and photographs are everywhere! They bombard radio, television and newspapers with an onslaught of advertisements. Billboards are added to the promotional mix. Celebrities are used to roll-out promotional campaigns. The modern word for all of that is branding! Like flies, organizers of events rush to such companies to seek for sponsorships.

6)     AWARDS BLITZ: We should become suspicious when individuals and companies become the beneficiaries of multiple local and international awards when you and I cannot pinpoint anything of essence they have accomplished. The fact is that some of them lobby for these awards. Some even pay for (buy) the awards. I have served on several awards committees and with disgust, witnessed the sickening desperation with which people seek for awards. They scheme, they beg, and are ready to pay bribes just so they will be given awards. I have witnessed companies that pay international awarding institutions to give them awards. They attend fake award ceremonies abroad to bring the photographs, frame and mount them on office walks, and add the list of awards to their corporate bragging statements. By that, the awards are used aggressively as bragging rights, claiming that they had arrived, are important and successful so society should place them on a much higher pedestal. 

7)     MEDIA EMPIRES: As the adage goes, who owns the piper calls the tune. So to satisfy the insatiable appetite for publicity and be mentioned in favourable light in the mass media, some companies and individuals go into the media business of radio, television and newspapers. Dr Paa Kwesi Ndoum, Dr Dufuor, Mr Dsanie of Ideal Finance, Kennedy Agyepong all created media empires. That way, they get more mentions and set the media agenda.

8)     GROUP OF COMPANIES: The increasing phenomenon of group of companies in Ghana troubles me. When you see the formation of several related companies, be suspicious. It could be a scheme for doing illicit business. 

dorisdartey@gmail.com