Newspaper doubles down on story of Aker Energy's 'illegal PR payments' to top journalist

PrimeMark Company Limited, publishers of the Herald Newspaper have hit back at Joy FM after its parent body, the Multimedia Group, issued a statement around allegations published by the Herald about one of its top journalists.

The Herald had earlier published that some $125,281,21 was given to EXCOMsult Media, owned by journalist Evans Mensah,by Aker Energy in order to pay pressmen and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to bribe them such that they avoid questioning attempts by Aker Energy and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) to go into a $1.6 billion transaction.

Per the report, Aker Energy had engaged Evans Mensah from January 1, 2022 to December 2022 implying that he has received more than the stated amount.

The journalist himself host of major news programs on Joy FM and JOY TV reacted to the story affirming he had done some work for Aker Energy and that his association with them as clients is public knowledge.

He disclaimed the amount of money quoted as payments to him, however, fell short of quoting a figure as to how much he had been paid for his services.

In their statement, Multimedia said a formal probe had been launched emphasizing Evans’ points about working for Aker and receiving far less than was alleged by the Herald.

In their response of May 20, 2023 to Joy FM, management of The Herald questioned how Evans and his employer had failed to quote a figure despite disputing theirs.

The wondered how and why Joy FM had also failed to seek their evidence in arriving at the earlier figure of over $125,000 payment.

In presenting new payment schedules, the paper wrote: “Maybe the management of Multimendia should engage Evans Mensah and question him on the three single-sourced contracts in two days, worth US$141K in the heat of the US$1.6 billion GNPC-AKER transaction.

“1. Communication and advertising – 25th August

2. Media Services – 25th August

3. Communication and advertising – 26th August

This brings the total payments to Excomsult to US212,305.11 for 2021.”

Find The Herald’s full statement below:



Read Evans Mensah's full statement below:

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