Counsels for the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, have given the Daily Guide Newspaper a 72-hour ultimatum to retract a defamation story published against him Tuesday.
According to a letter issued to the Newspaper Tuesday, October 18, 2022, the counsels noted a publication from the newspaper had stated Mr. Asiedu Nketia supports illegal mining otherwise known as ‘galamsey’.
They have asked that the said headline be retracted and render an apology since their client rather spoke against the illegal act rather than supporting it as reported by the Daily Guide Newspaper.
The counsels also added a full copy of the interview granted by Mr. Asiedu Nketia on Kumasi-based Oyerepa FM from which the newspaper made that publication from.
Read below the full letter served the Daily Guide by the NDC General Secretary’s counsels.
19th October 2022
The Editor
Daily Guide Newspaper Accra
Dear Editor,
2nd Floor, Yellow Building
Passion Hill Street, Ogbojo – Accra
Digital Address: GM – 025 -1882 Box MD 2540, Madina
RETRACTION AND APOLOGY – HEADLINE STORY OF DAILY GUIDE NEWSPAPER OF TUESDAY 18TH OCTOBER 2022
We act as lawyers for MR. JOHNSON ASIEDU NKETIA, the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), (our client) and hold his firm instructions to write you this letter.
Our information is that:
a. In your newspaper publication of Tuesday, October 18th, 2022 (Issue 240/ 22), you attributed a headline; “NDC Won’t Stop Galamsey”, to our client. This publication was accompanied by a picture of our client.
b. In the said publication, you purported to rely on an interview granted by our client to a Kumasi-based radio station “Oyerepa FM” (transmitting as “Oyerepa FM 100.7”).
c. In the said interview, our client did not show support for illegal mining but rather condemned same and its devasting impact on the environment. He also indicated the preparedness of the NDC to institute sustainable mining practices when elected in the 2024 General Elections.
d. Given the fact that “Galamsey” is illegal under our laws, your headline “NDC Won’t Stop Galamsey” attributed to our client is not only false but maliciously published to portray our Client and the NDC as promoters and champions of illegality.
e. It is obvious that said false and malicious attribution and publication of same was done to damage the reputation of our client given the fact that your full story on page 6 of the said newspaper did not have any excerpt to directly or indirectly support your headline.
In the circumstances, we hold the firm and unequivocal instructions of our client to demand, which we hereby do, that you do cause a retraction and apology within 72hrs from the time and date of receipt of this letter.
We are further instructed to notify you that the said retraction and apology should be given the same frontpage publicity and prominence as the false and malicious headline publication contained in your newspaper of Tuesday 18th October 2022.
Kindly note that should you fail, refuse, and/or neglect to comply with our client’s demands as stated above, we have his firm instruction to take all necessary steps including commencing an action in court to protect our client’s image and reputation from the false and malicious publication.
For the benefit of doubt, we have found it necessary to enclose the full recording of our client’s interview granted to the said Kumasi-based radio station in the hope that you will be properly informed and be advised accordingly.
The undersigned, reachable on +233243717144 or by email at [email protected] holds instructions on this matter and should be contacted accordingly.
Thanks, and regards
Yours in the Interest of Justice
