On June 2, 2011, a feature article titled “Vice President Joins The Property Grabbing Train!” was posted on Ghanaweb.com in which a number of serious allegations were made against the Vice President, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama. The so-called information presented in this article was libellous, defamatory and completely fabricated. The Office of the Vice President would like to make clear to the readers of that article and to all the citizens of Ghana that:
1. Mr. Mahama has no business or personal involvement with, and until the posting of this article had never even heard of, the Al Raskia Holding Company in Doha, Qatar.
2. Mr. Mahama does not have a financial stake of any amount in The Grand Heritage Hotel and Spa or, for that matter, in any other business or establishment in Qatar.
3. Mr. Mahama does not have an offshore bank account in Gibraltar.
4. Mr. Mahama has no involvement, direct or indirect, with Nordska Shipping and Mining Company based in Helsinki, Finland. He is neither sole nor part owner of that company.
5. Mr. Mahama has no business interest or affiliation with Mrs. Barbara Essuman of Los Angeles, California. He is not personally or professionally acquainted with anyone by that name in Los Angeles. Whatever involvement this Mrs. Essuman may or may not have with the Nordska Shipping and Mining Company does not include or extend to the Vice President.
His Excellency John Dramani Mahama who, one should be reminded, also holds a graduate diploma in communication studies, has always been and continues to be an ardent supporter of the media and a firm believer in the freedom of speech. This freedom, however, comes with responsibilities and ethical obligations, one of which is the duty to report substantiated facts not vicious falsehoods that malign the character and good names of individuals simply because they are public figures.
Source: Office of the Vice President
4th June 2011
Source: GhanaWeb
