Akufo-Addo Is Angry That Al-Jazeera Was Ordered To Retract And Apologize For A "False" Report, Which He Considers To Be Untrue

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo demands an urgent retraction and apology from Al Jazeera Media Network ("Al Jazeera"), an international media organization.

The President's demand follows the airing of a documentary by Doha-based Al Jazeera that depicts the leader of Ghana as a corrupt individual who acted as a lawyer for one Alistair Mathias and illegally benefited from a $100 million state infrastructure contract allegedly awarded to Mr. Mathias.

Nana Bediatuo Asante, the president's secretary, wrote a letter to the media company stating that President Akufo-Addo has not practiced law since the year 2000.

In addition, the letter stated that neither the President nor his law firm have served as Mr. Mathews' legal counsel.

"I am instructed by the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to demand formally that Al Jazeera Media Network ("Al Jazeera") retract immediately and apologize for airing an inaccurate and unfair documentary that contained false and unsubstantiated allegations against the President and the Government of Ghana.

"The documentary in question made unsubstantiated claims that the President acted as an attorney 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 11th April, 2023, in response to Al Jazeera's letter dated 2nd April, 2023, which was received on 6th April, 2023, and containing these vague and defamatory allegations, the Legal Counsel to the President, Kow Abaka Essuman, acting on the instructions of the President, informed Al Jazeera that the President had not been in private practice since the year 2000 and that he had no recollection of acting as a lawyer, either

"Under these circumstances, Al Jazeera was required to provide additional and improved information in order to adequately respond to the allegations made in its letter. Thus, Al Jazeera was asked to provide details regarding the period during which the President allegedly represented Mr. Alistair Mathias or his company, Guldrest Resources. In addition, Al Jazeera was asked to provide details of the "USD 100 million tender for state infrastructure" allegedly awarded to Mr. Mathias, which he allegedly outsourced and retained a portion of in offshore accounts, as stated in the letter, as well as information on how the President unlawfully benefited from the "USD 100 million tender for state infrastructure."

"Al Jazeera refused or failed to provide the requested information and proceeded with the documentary's broadcast." At the conclusion of the documentary, a brief text was displayed that contradicted its content. In addition, Mr. Alistair Mathias, the subject of the documentary, disputed what he said in the documentary to Al Jazeera's investigative journalist. "In light of these blatant denials by Mr. Alistair Mathias and the response from Mr. Essuman, these portions of the documentary should not have been included, as they contain false statements," the letter stated.

The President has therefore characterized those portions of the documentary as malevolent, defamatory, and a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation and that of the Government of Ghana.

He demands that Al Jezeera promptly withdraw the documentary, retract it, and apologize to him and the government of Ghana for "airing unprofessional and defamatory content."

"It is imperative that you respond to the request within seven days of receiving this letter.