Broadcaster Salifu Maase, popularly known as Mugabe Maase, has rendered an unqualified apology to former Energy Minister and New Patriotic Party (NPP) running mate, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (also known as “NAPO”) after being sued over allegations that he financed deliberate power outages, popularly known as “dumsor,” in the Ashanti Region.
The apology comes after NAPO dragged Mugabe Maase, TV XYZ and Power FM to court with a GH¢20 million defamation lawsuit over claims aired on the broadcaster’s political program Inside Politics.
During the program, Mugabe Maase broadcast footage and an anonymous audio recording alleging that NAPO had paid officials of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in the Ashanti Region to intentionally disrupt electricity supply in order to create public anger against the government.
The allegations generated significant public controversy and quickly became a major political discussion due to the sensitive nature of country’s recurring power crisis.
However, facing the legal action, Mugabe Maase has now publicly retracted the allegations and apologized on live television.
According to the broadcaster, he regrets airing the footage and audio recording which accused the former Energy Minister of orchestrating clandestine power cuts in the Ashanti Region.
Mugabe Maase admitted that the claims broadcast on his platform were untrue and expressed remorse for the reputational damage caused to NAPO.
He also extended an unqualified apology to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Medimafo Herbal Hospital, Dr. Adu Gyamfi popularly known as Dr. Time Daso.
According to Mugabe Maase, the audio recording falsely suggested that NAPO and some ECG staff met at Dr. Time Daso’s hospital to plan the alleged power disruptions.
The broadcaster admitted that the claims linking the respected herbal practitioner and his facility to the alleged scheme were false and misleading.
“I sincerely apologize to Dr. Time Daso for the false impression created by the broadcast,” Mugabe Maase reportedly stated during the public apology.
The lawsuit against Mugabe Maase and XYZ Broadcasting Limited was filed through the law firm Sarkodie Baffour Awuah & Partners.
In the suit, NAPO argued that the allegations were malicious, defamatory and calculated to damage his reputation both locally and internationally.
The former Energy Minister maintained that he never paid ECG engineers or officials to sabotage electricity supply in any part of the country.
He further argued that the allegations undermined public trust in Ghana’s energy sector and sought to portray him as someone willing to destabilize national electricity supply for political advantage.
The legal action demanded GH¢20 million in damages against Mugabe Maase, TV XYZ, Power FM and XYZ Broadcasting Limited.
The controversy has once again highlighted growing concerns over misinformation, political propaganda and responsible journalism within Ghana’s media landscape.
It has also reignited conversations about the need for media practitioners to thoroughly verify politically sensitive claims before broadcasting them to the public.
Meanwhile, investigative journalist has previously criticized NAPO over comments considered disrespectful toward Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, placing the former Energy Minister at the center of several national political debates in recent years.
Despite those controversies, the legal battle involving Mugabe Maase remains one of the most high-profile defamation cases associated with NAPO, particularly because of the explosive allegations surrounding the deliberate creation of “dumsor” in the Ashanti Region.
The public apology by Mugabe Maase is expected to play a major role in the ongoing case while also serving as a cautionary reminder about the legal and ethical implications of broadcasting unverified allegations.
By 1960news.com
