Former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has fired back at Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, demanding a retraction and apology over what he calls “false, malicious and defamatory” claims.
In a strongly worded letter dated March 12, 2026, Mr Dame accused the minister of making “false, malicious and defamatory” statements during an appearance on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme on October 10, 2025.
The former Attorney-General took issue with claims that he had deliberately ignored a police report allegedly implicating Akonta Mining Company Limited in illegal mining activities.
The company is owned by Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), who is currently standing trial over alleged mining-related offences.
Mr Dame firmly denied the allegations, insisting that no such report was ever presented to him during his tenure between 2021 and 2025.
Citing a response to a Right to Information (RTI) request from the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice, he stated that the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) did not submit any docket on Akonta Mining to his office between 2022 and 2024. According to the response, the only related docket was received on September 15, 2025—after he had left office.
Describing the claims as “sinister, reckless and malicious,” Mr Dame argued that the allegations were intended to tarnish his reputation and portray him as complicit in illegal mining, widely known in Ghana as galamsey.
“It goes without saying that your allegations about me were not only false but sinister, reckless and malicious,” portions of the letter stated.
He also rejected assertions by Mr Kwakye Ofosu that he was “not fit for the job,” maintaining that such comments exceeded the bounds of acceptable public criticism and amounted to defamation.
Mr Dame further defended his professional track record, pointing to more than two decades of legal practice and his representation of Ghana at international platforms, including the United Nations and ECOWAS. He argued that the allegations unfairly undermine both his career and public image.
As part of his demands, he has given Mr Kwakye Ofosu seven days to issue a full retraction and apology, as well as to remove all related publications from online platforms.
The letter warns that failure to comply could result in legal action.
