International news network Al Jazeera, may not apologise to President Akufo-Addo, over its documentary involving the country’s gold mining industry, despite a request from the Jubilee House to do so.

The office of the president issued a request last week demanding a retraction and apology from the media outlet following damning revelations by Alistair Mathias that portrayed the President in a negative light over allegations of gold smuggling.

Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, who issued the request on behalf of the President, wrote “I have been instructed by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to formally demand that Al Jazeera Media Network (“Al Jazeera”) immediately retract and apologise for broadcasting an inaccurate and unfair documentary containing spurious and unsubstantiated allegations against the President and the Government of Ghana.”

The documentary, titled “The Gold Mafia,” included interviews with several individuals who claimed that they were involved in money laundering schemes for African leaders.

Mathias, one of the individuals interviewed in the documentary, boasted of having a close relationship with President Akufo-Addo and several other African leaders.

President Akufo-Addo, however denied acting as a lawyer for Alistair Mathias or his company.

Al Jazeera also claims to have written to the President before airing the documentary in its email, and the President’s alleged response to them was thereafter included towards the end of the documentary, together with a clarification of Mathias’ claims.

Al Jazeera has yet to issue a statement indicating admission of guilt or remorse, and it seems unlikely that the network will retract its documentary or apologise to the President.

Alistair Mathias’ claims about Ghana

In the fourth episode of Al Jazeera’s documentary, “The Gold Mafia,” Alistair Mathias claimed that there is no head of state or president in Africa that he and his team cannot get to.

Mathias cited Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo, as one of his ‘good friends’ and alleged that the president had been his lawyer in the past

However, Al Jazeera noted towards the end of the documentary that Mathias denied ever being awarded any tender by the Ghanaian government or entering into any government contracts in any African country.

Mathias also denied designing mechanisms to launder money or trading illegal gold for Russian clients or anyone else when asked for a formal comment about Al Jazeera’s findings. He also denied having any working relationship with Macmillan.

Gold mining in Ghana

Ghana is Africa’s leading producer of gold, accounting for 4% of government revenue in 2017, according to Transparency International.

However, the management of the country’s gold resources has been marred by controversy and corruption, as evidenced by two recent cases:

The Agyapa deal, a proposal to sell almost 76% of Ghana’s future gold royalties to a company based in Jersey, a tax haven and secrecy jurisdiction.

The deal was approved by parliament in 2020 but faced strong opposition from civil society groups, who argued that it was opaque, undervalued, and detrimental to Ghana’s sovereignty and development.

The deal also sparked a political scandal, as the Special Prosecutor who was investigating it resigned in November 2020, citing interference and threats from the government. The deal was eventually suspended in January 2021, pending a review.

The second major challenge facing Ghana’s gold sector is the illegal mining or “galamsey” phenomenon.

This involves mostly Chinese miners operating without licences and using heavy machinery that damage the environment and displace local communities.

The illegal mining has been facilitated by corruption among Ghanaian state officials, who have either colluded with the Chinese miners or failed to enforce the laws and regulations.

Several attempts to crack down on illegal mining have been ineffective or counterproductive, as some task forces have also engaged in rent-seeking or violent behaviour.

These cases show that Ghana’s gold resource is not only a source of wealth, but also a source of conflict and corruption.

They also highlight the need for more transparency, accountability, and participation in the governance of the country’s natural resources.

Source: The Independent Ghana