Renowned Investigative Journalist and Author, Manasseh Azure Awuni has issued a formal retraction and apology to businessman Ibrahim Mahama, clarifying an error in his latest book, “The President Ghana Never Got.”

The retraction comes after Mr Mahama, through his legal representatives, brought to Mr Awuni’s attention a misstatement regarding the financial obligations of Mr Mahama and his company, Engineers and Planners Company Limited.

“In my latest book, ‘The President Ghana Never Got’, I discussed the banking crisis under the Akufo-Addo administration and how some banks were saved from possible collapse. In providing a background to the Universal Merchant Bank (UMB) and the circumstances under which its new owners acquired it in 2013, I mentioned the controversy that arose when it emerged that one of the big debtors of the erstwhile Merchant Bank was Mr. Mahama”.
Manasseh Azure Awuni, a renowned Investigative Journalist and Author

The renowned Writer and Author clarified that the $28 million debt was actually owed by Engineers and Planners Company Limited, the legal entity, and not by Mr. Mahama personally.

In his retraction statement, Mr Awuni emphasized that the incorrect reference to Mr Mahama as the debtor was a “genuine oversight”.

Mr Awuni extended an apology to Mr Mahama for any negative impact the publication may have caused.

He stated without equivocation “Consequently, I retract the said reference to Ibrahim Mahama as the debtor and apologise for any adverse effect that may have been occasioned by said publication.”

Commitment to Address Error

To ensure accuracy and rectify the oversight, Manasseh Azure Awuni disclosed that he has taken immediate steps to amend the online version of his book.

He also committed to correcting the error in all subsequent reprints. The retraction and apology underscore Mr Awuni’s commitment to factual reporting and integrity in his work as a journalist and author.

While the mistake was unintentional, Mr Awuni’s swift response and public acknowledgement of the error reflect his adherence to journalistic ethics.

Ibrahim Mahama, a prominent businessman and the brother of former President John Dramani Mahama, has been involved in various sectors of Ghana’s economy, including mining and construction. His company, Engineers and Planners, is a major player in the mining sector.

The renowned businessman and Chief Executive Officer of Engineers and Planners, Ibrahim Mahama, through his legal representative Robert Smith Law Group, in an earlier statement, demanded a public retraction and an unqualified apology from renowned investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni for statements published in his latest book, “The President Ghana Never Got”, over alleged debt to Merchant Bank.

The statements in question, according to Mr Mahama’s legal team, falsely claim that he was a major debtor to the former Merchant Bank, now Universal Merchant Bank (UMB), contributing to its financial struggles and subsequent sale in 2013.

The controversy stems from Mr Awuni’s description in his book, where he discusses the sale of Merchant Bank to Fortiz Private Equity in 2013.

Lawyer Bobby Banson, legal counsel for Ibrahim Mahama, categorically refuted these claims, emphasizing that Ibrahim Mahama has never been personally indebted to Merchant Bank or its successor, UMB Bank.

According to the letter, Mr Mahama has never applied for or received any loan facility from the bank in his personal capacity.

Instead, Lawyer Bobby Banson clarified that Engineers & Planners Company Limited, a distinct legal entity in which Mr Mahama is involved, took a loan from Merchant Bank.

The legal letter further stated that in February 2014, Engineers & Planners Company Limited settled its debt to Merchant Bank in full, amounting to $28 million.