President Akufo-Addo\u2019s Executive Secretary, Nana Bediatuo Asante, is demanding an apology and retraction of alleged defamatory comments on illegal mining made against him by United Progressive Party founder, Akwasi Addai Odike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A letter from Mr. Asante\u2019s lawyers noted claims from Mr. Odike that he had links to illegal mining in Bosomefreho.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are instructed to inform you [Odike] that the said publication that you put in the public domain is absolutely false.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is instructive to point out to you that you ought to have taken steps to verify the authenticity of the information before publishing same in the public domain,\u201d the letter added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Because of the lack of evidence, Mr. Asante feels Mr. Odike\u2019s allegation is \u201ccarefully calculated to malign, cause public disaffection, injure the reputation and reduce our client\u2019s reputation in the eyes of right-thinking members of society.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Bediatuo Asante intends to take legal action if Mr. Odike does not retract the claims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Odike is believed to have also incurred the anger of Chiefs of the Asante Kingdom after he accused them of complicity in illegal mining in the Ashanti Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He was also accused of threatening to incite the youth to rise against the chiefs if they fail to play their roles in curbing the illegal mining menace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mr. Odike\u2019s comments were, however, described as distasteful and disrespectful by members of the Kumasi Traditional Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His office was subsequently vandalised and there were calls for him to apologise to the chiefs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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