I’m sorry; it was just hearsay – Odike ‘begs’ Bediatuo Asante over galamsey allegations

The Founder and Leader of the United Front Party UFP, Akwasi Addai Odike has pleaded for forgiveness from the Executive Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante.

He said his recent comments that Mr. Asante is involved in galamsey was just hearsay and he didn’t independently verify it.

Speaking on NEAT FM’s morning show 'Ghana Montie', Mr Odike admitted that his accusation was without any factual evidence to back it.

“I must admit that it was just hearsay, I didn’t do my crosschecks if indeed he [Asante Bediatuo] was illegally engaging in mining. I retract and apologise, that was a mistake,” he humbly apologized.

In a letter to Mr. Odike on Wednesday, August 24, Mr Asante Bediatuo’s lawyers insisted that the UPP founder had said he had links to illegal mining in Bosomefreho, a claim they say is untrue.

“We are instructed to inform you [Odike] that the said publication that you put in the public domain is absolutely false.”

“It is instructive to point out to you that you ought to have taken steps to verify the authenticity of the information before publishing same in the public domain,” the letter said.

“Clearly, your failure to verify such a serious allegation against a senior government official is deliberate and carefully calculated to malign, cause public disaffection, injure the reputation and reduce our client’s reputation in the eyes of right thinking members of society,” the letter of Bediatuo’s lawyers to Odike further read.

Mr Odike in a radio programme had accused Nana Asante Bediatuo of being involved in galamsey [illegal mining].

Mr Odike has also incurred the wrath of chiefs in the Asante region following his accusations that they are also involved in galamsey.

The chiefs in anger have since banished him from the Manhyia Palace.

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