Akufo-Addo ‘never had one-on-one’ with NAM1; viral tweet is fake - Presidency

Ghana’s Presidency has described as fake, a purported tweet by President Nana Akufo-Addo acknowledging the successes of the now beleaguered owner and chief executive of Menzgold Ghana Limited.

A screenshot of the said tweet with a photo of President Akufo-Addo and Appiah Mensah in a handshake, dated April 12, 2018, has gone viral in the wake of the Menzgold crisis that has triggered a warrant for the arrest of Appiah Mensah.

Some have argued the supposed tweet is an endorsement of the Menzgold business by Nana Akufo-Addo, especially as some customers of the gold-trading firm claimed they invested in the business based on the owner’s supposed association with President Akufo-Addo.

Nana Appiah Mensah and directors of his Menzgold company are currently wanted by the Police CID over alleged breaches of Ghanaian laws. Mr Mensah in particular is wanted for alleged money laundering and defrauding by false pretences.

Contributing to a discussion on the matter Thursday morning on Metro TV, Member of Parliament for the Ningo Prampram, Sam George, alleged that Akufo-Addo had endorsed the character of the embattled Menzgold boss through meetings and social media post.

According to him, when the When Nana Akufo-Addo met Nana Appiah Mensah, the president expressed how he was impressed with his success story and the impact he was having on the youth.

This he claimed in the viral tweet which he claimed since been pulled down.

He claimed the president wrote in the tweet: “I had the singular privilege of welcoming to the Jubilee House this afternoon Nana Appiah Mensah (NAM 1) of MenzGold and Zylofon Music. It was quite inspiring listening to his success story and his impact”.



In a sharp rebuttal, Communications Director at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, said “Never has the President’s twitter handle been used” to post the tweet being associated with him.

“That supposed tweet is a fake and I’m daring Hon. Sam George to prove that indeed that has been done”, he stated.

He explained that NAM1 was among some Ghana Football Association and CAF officials, including its President Ahmad Ahmad who called on the President at the Jubilee House in 2018 ahead of the conferment of an honorary doctorate degree by the University of Professional Studies.

“Never on that day did the President have a one-on-one meeting with NAM1 and never on that day did he post that fake tweet being forcefully trumpeted,” he stated.

Mr. Eugene said the then GFA President, Kwasi Nyantekyi, brought NAM1 to the said meeting with GFA, CAF officials and the President because four days earlier, on April 21, Zylofon, a company owned by Nana Appiah Mensa, had indicated its decision to sponsor the Ghana Premier League.