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Akufo-Addo did not accept to be interviewed for my book – Manasseh

Investigative journalist and author Manasseh Azure Awuni has shared the challenges he faced in attempting to interview President Akufo-Addo for his forthcoming book, “The President Ghana Never Got.”

The 400-page book documents major events during the 8-year reign of President Akufo-Addo.

According to him, he engaged with the President’s cousin, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko to secure an interview with the President, however, all efforts proved futile.

Narrating the happening on JoyNews’ AM Show, he said “I initially wanted to speak to President Akufo-Addo when writing this book. I remember speaking to his cousin, Gabby Asare Otchere Darko… people had told me that he [the President] wasn’t happy with the work I was doing. So I asked Gabby if there was a possibility of speaking to him, and he said, ‘I don’t think he will speak to you.’ I asked why, and he said, ‘The President thinks you’ve been mean to him’.”

“And I said ‘But I even spoke to former President Mahama [despite criticising him]’ and Gabby said ‘People are different and how they process things differs’,” he added.

Returning to Mr Otchere-Darko, the investigative journalist said he was advised to send a letter to the President first.

However, given the timing and his looming deadline, he decided not to pursue this further.

He further noted that even though he was unable to speak directly with the President, he managed to conduct extensive interviews with other members of the government, which provided valuable insights.

“I spoke to a number of people within his government who confirmed a lot of things, and I had an extensive interview with Gabby for about two hours, where I asked questions about some of the decisions, the family, among other things,” he said.

“So I don’t think I missed anything significant from not speaking to the president for this book. I would have loved to but the circumstances didn’t permit,” he stressed.

“The President Ghana Never Got” is a 400-paged and 40-chaptered book on the reign of President Akufo-Addo.

Announcing the launch of the book, the journalist said it has “revealing and riveting content, which some may find explosive.”

It would be launched on August 8, 2024, at the Christ the King Parish Hall, Opposite the Jubilee House in Accra.

This book is his latest project on successive governments. In 2016, when the country’s former President, John Dramani Mahama was preparing to leave office, Manasseh released a book on him titled “The Fourth John: Reign, Rejection & Rebound”.

Similarly, the “The President Ghana Never Got” book promises to be a compelling read, offering nuances that influenced certain decisions of the current administration.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

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Committee probing petitions against Chief Justice to begin hearings tomorrow

The Committee set up by President John Dramani Mahama to inquire into three petitions filec against the Chief Justice, Gertrude Araba Esaaba Sackey Torkornoo, will commence hearings tomorrow, Thursday May 15, 2025.

The five-member Committee chaired by Justice Gabriel Scott Pwamang of the Supreme Court, was set up by the President in accordance with Article 146(6) of the 1992 constitution and in consultation with the Council of State, following a determination of a prima facie case against the Chief Justice.

The committee will sit three times a week and present their recommendations to the President upon completion of their work.

It would be recalled that President John Dramani Mahama recently suspended Chief Justice following the establishment of a prima facie case in response to three separate petitions seeking her removal from office.

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38-year-old man gets life imprisonment for killing Assemblies of God pastor in 2018

After close to seven years of trial, a seven-member jury on Wednesday, May 14, returned a guilty verdict in the murder case involving the killing of the Senior Pastor of the Central Assemblies of God church at Tema in 2018.

The convict, Francis Nabegmado, a relative of the deceased, inflicted a fatal knife wound on Rev. Dr. David Nabegmado on December 30, 2018, after alleging that the senior pastor was a false preacher who engaged in idol worship and human sacrifices.

After an hour of summing up by the judge, Mary Maame Ekue Yanzuh, the jury retired briefly and returned with a unanimous guilty verdict.

Based on the unanimous verdict of the jurors who had previously studied the statements of the five witnesses called by the prosecution, and listened to the summing up process, the judge sentenced the 38-year-old to life imprisonment.

When he was offered an opportunity to comment on the verdict, the convict told the judge that he wanted to go home to meet his family.

“My Lady, I want to see my family, and I want to be taken to Yendi”.

When the judge told him she couldn’t make such an order for him to go and see his family in Yendi, the convict forcefully said, “I insist”.

Francis, who will now spend the rest of his life at the Nsawam medium security prison, had told the court throughout the trial that the decision to attack his uncle, Rev. Nebegmado, was driven by insanity, but that did not save him from receiving a life sentence.

Speaking briefly after the sentencing, Senior Pastor of the Assemblies of God church at Tema Community 4, Rev. Emmanuel Kwesi Ofori, said the church has been waiting for this closure for the past seven years and will soon issue an official statement.

Source: Myjoyonline.com