Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has addressed legal demands from Ibrahim Mahama, CEO of Engineers & Planners Limited, concerning statements made in Awuni’s latest book, The President Ghana Never Got.
Mr. Mahama previously demanded an immediate retraction and an unreserved apology from the journalist, alleging that Awuni published false information about him.
The book discusses the 2013 controversy surrounding the sale of Universal Merchant Bank (UMB), formerly known as Merchant Bank, to the private equity firm Fortiz.
Awuni wrote that FirstRand Bank of South Africa had offered GH₵176 million for 75% of the bank’s shares, while Fortiz acquired 90% of the shares in the state-owned bank for GH₵90 million.
“The controversy deepened when it emerged that a brother of President John Mahama, Ibrahim Mahama, was one of the big debtors of the then Merchant Bank, which resulted in the bank’s struggles.”
Reacting to these allegations, Mr. Mahama, through his lawyers, demanded a retraction and an apology, insisting that the information was incorrect.
However, Mr. Awuni countered by stating that Mr. Mahama’s claim of false reporting is unfounded.
“His lawyers say it was a company owned by Ibrahim Mahama, Engineers and Planners, which owed the bank, not Ibrahim Mahama,” a portion of the author’s response to Myjoyonline.com read.
Mr. Awuni emphasized that he is taking Mr. Mahama’s legal concerns seriously and has passed the demands on to his legal team for further review.