President Nana Akufo-Addo
President Nana Akufo-Addo has requested an unqualified apology from the international news network Al Jazeera for a false article.
According to a demand notice issued by Jubilee House on April 25, 2023, Al Jazeera has seven days to comply with the seat of government regarding the "inaccurate and unfair documentary containing false and unsubstantiated allegations" against the President and the Government of Ghana, or face legal action.
The letter, signed by Nana Bediatuo Asante, Executive Secretary to the President, stated that the documentary "Gold Mafia" made unfounded claims that the President acted as a lawyer for one Mr. Alistair Mathias and implied that the President personally benefited illegally from an alleged $100 million state infrastructure contract allegedly awarded to Mr. Mathias.
In his letter dated April 11, 2023, in response to Al Jazeera's letter dated April 2, 2023, which was received on April 6, 2023, and containing what has been described as vague and defamatory allegations, Nana Bediatuo noted that "the Legal Counsel to the President, Mr. Kow Abaka Essuman, acting on the President's instructions, informed Al Jazeera that the President had not been in private practice since the year 2000 .
In light of these circumstances, he stated that "further and better details were required from Al Jazeera in order to respond adequately to the allegations made in Al Jazeera's letter" and that "Al Jazeera was thus requested to provide information on the period during which the President allegedly represented Mr. Alistair Mathias or his company, Guldrest Resources."
Al Jazeera was also requested to provide details of the alleged $100 million tender for state infrastructure, which Mr. Mathias allegedly outsourced and kept a portion of in offshore accounts, according to the letter, as well as information on how the President unlawfully benefited from the alleged $100 million tender.
Despite Al Jazeera's refusal or inability to provide these necessary details, the news outlet aired the program and included a brief sentence that contradicted the documentary's content at the end.
Surprisingly, Mr. Alistair Mathias denied what he said in the documentary to an Al Jazeera investigator.
In light of Mr. Alistair Mathias's vehement denials and Mr. Essuman's rebuttal, the Secretary to the President insisted that certain portions of the documentary should not have been aired because they contained false claims.
According to him, "those portions of the documentary are malicious, defamatory, and a calculated attempt to tarnish the reputation of the President and the Government of Ghana."
Therefore, Nana Bediatuo has demanded that Al Jazeera promptly remove the video, retract it, and apologize to the President and the Government of Ghana for airing "such an unprofessional and defamatory documentary."