Today in History: Akufo-Addo can’t run away from Menzgold saga – Nketia

Travelling back to history, General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia is believed to have said that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cannot wean himself off the now fugitive Chief Executive Officer of gold dealership firm, Menzgold, Nana Appiah Mensah (NAM1).

Mr Asiedu Nketia expressed that Mr Akufo-Addo has had a good relationship with the Menzgold boss to the extent that they used to meet at the seat of government for discussions.

The Director of Communication at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, however, denied that allegation.

Mr Arhin also refuted claims that Mr Akufo-Addo tweeted his admiration of NAM1’s success story after they shook hands at the Jubilee House in April 2018.

“I want to put it on record that never has the president’s Twitter handle been used to do that. That supposed tweet is a fake,” Mr Arhin noted on Thursday, 10 January 2019.

He was emphatic that: “President Akufo-Addo never had a one-on-one meeting with NAM1 on the 25th of April 2018”.

Read the full story originally published on January 11, 2016, on GhanaWeb

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo cannot wean himself off the now fugitive Chief Executive officer of gold dealership firm, Menzgold, Nana Appiah Mensah (NAM1), General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has said.

According to him, Mr Akufo-Addo has been a friend to both former president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) Kwasi Nyantakyi and NAM 1 over the years to the extent that they used to meet at the seat of government for discussions.

The Director of Communication at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, has said that President Nana Akufo-Addo has never had a one-on-one meeting with NAM1.

Mr Arhin has also refuted claims that Mr Akufo-Addo tweeted his admiration of NAM1’s success story after they shook hands at the Jubilee House in April 2018 last year when the now-fugitive businessman accompanied the president of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) at the time, Mr Kwesi Nyantakyi, to the presidency.

“I want to put it on record that never has the president’s Twitter handle been used to do that. That supposed tweet is a fake,” Mr Arhin noted on Thursday, 10 January 2019.

He was emphatic that: “President Akufo-Addo never had a one-on-one meeting with NAM1 on the 25th of April 2018”.

Mr Arhin, however, explained that on the alleged meeting day, “GFA officials and CAF officials, including its President, Ahmad Ahmad, paid a courtesy call on President Akufo-Addo, ahead of the conferment of an honorary doctorate degree by the University of Professional Studies, Accra. The then-GFA President, Kwesi Nyantakyi, only brought NAM1 to the meeting because four days earlier, on 21st April, Zylofon had indicated its decision to sponsor the Ghana Premier League. Never on that day did the President have a one-on-one meeting with NAM1 and never on that day did he post that fake tweet being forcefully trumpeted by Sam George”.

However, speaking on Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM on Friday 11 January 2019, Mr Nketia told Kwabena Prah Jnr (The Don), that: “We have records to show that President Akufo-Addo knows NAM 1 and has been dealing with him and Kwasi Nyantakyi. He cannot dissociate himself from these two people. I have records of how President Akufo-Addo was using Kwasi Nyantakyi for his dealings.”

He added: “When DKM saga came up the NPP then in opposition led by Nana Addo used it against the NDC government and tried to link the then government to the development even when there was no link. But they want to run away from what is happening under their watch whereas there are records to show that the President is close to NAM1 and Nyantakyi.”