Connect with us

News

Ghanaian newspaper retracts story on Okyere, Springfield Energy

Published

on

Kevin Okyere,

Image: Springfield Energy CEO, Mr. Kevin Okyere

*Tenders apology*

A Ghanaian newspaper, The New Statesman has retracted and apologized for a defamatory and libelous story it published on September 25, 2015, against Springfield Energy and its CEO, Mr. Kevin Okyere, where it sensationally tried to link the duo to corruption in the Nigerian petroleum sector.

dezianiThe New Statesman, which gave wings to the defamatory report in Ghana and Nigeria, in a retraction published on the cover page of the October 16 edition and subsequently on page 2, regretted that the previous report it ran was inaccurate saying, “Apart from the fact that Springfield did business with the NNPC in Nigeria, The News Statesman has no evidence that Springfield’s dealings with NNPC were not legitimately secured…”

Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke

Springfield Energy is an oil and gas company with operations in Ghana and Nigeria.

Mr. Okyere and his company had sued the newspaper and its publisher, GAB Productions Limited, for GH¢30 million ($7.5m) for libel, at an Accra High Court on September 30.

The duo also threatened to sue other newspapers for publishing unsubstantiated reports linking them to corruption in Nigeria.

It is however unclear whether the plaintiffs would discontinue the suit.

 

The full text of The New Statesman’s retraction reads:

“RETRACTION: REPORT ON KEVIN OKYERE, SPRINGFIELD

The new statesman wishes to retract in full its report of Friday, September 25, 2015, “THE HANDSOME GHANAIAN MILLIONAIRE AND NIGERIA’S BEAUTIFUL $20BN EX-PETROLEUM MINISTER”.

The new statesman, as its readers are fully aware, has been consistent in highlighting for its mainly Ghanaian readers efforts by the new Buhari government to tackle corruption in Nigeria. Much of such publications have focused on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and its former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

See also  2019: Buhari hands over campaign to Tinubu

In the course of our investigations, much of which was based on reports already circulating in the Nigerian media on her controversial handling of the ministry, names were mentioned of people with alleged influence around Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and in just two of the many numerous reports (specifically The Premium Times and little known the capital) the name Kevin Okyere, a Ghanaian businessman, came up.

Our checks further revealed that Kevin’s company, Springfield, which is a player in the petroleum business here in Ghana, managed to secure oil-lifting deals in Nigeria under the Jonathan government.

We must however, stress that none of the publications about Kevin Okyere or his company, Springfield, made any categorical allegation linking him to any corrupt dealings, either in Nigeria or Ghana. And our own publication did not say that Kevin Okyere or Springfield took part in any corrupt transaction in any of the two countries they are known to operate in Ghana and Nigeria.

Indeed our report on Kevin Okyere and Springfield went on to say that the successful young Ghanaian businessman became “an object of envy within oil circles in Nigeria”, and added, “many others reduce the targeting of the successful Ghanaian deal-maker as one of pure envy.”

Apart from the fact that Springfield did business with the NNPC in Nigeria, the News Statesman has no evidence that Springfield’s dealings with NNPC were not legitimately secured and made no such categorical claim in our publication.

We have since published a rejoinder from Springfield in which they completely denied doing anything illegitimate in either Nigeria or Ghana.

See also  IBB’s clarification on 1966 coup strengthens case for Igbo presidency in 2027 – Udeogaranya

We are hereby rendering a full retraction and unreservedly regret any inconvenience which our said publication might have caused Springfield and its CEO, Kevin Okyere.”

© Copyright 2015 www.elombah.com

Send eyewitness accounts/reports/articles to publisher@elombah.com

Follow us on twitter handle @Elombah; Like our Facebook page: “Elombah.com”


For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest from DDM TV

Latest Updates

Ezenwafor declares Anambra blueprint, promises governance with joy

Anambra Govt Arrests, Beats Up 18 Journalists Monitoring Senatorial Bye-Election

Tech revolution surges, Nigerians flock to DDM Academy Cohort 6

JUST IN: Uzo-Uwani chairman halts timbre business, orders full profiling

Nenadi Usman hails court verdict, says Abure’s tenure over

APC rejects Kano by-election, demands immediate cancellation over chaos

PDP defends n30m cash, says funds were for election logistics not vote buying

APC chieftain Shinkafi survives Abuja gunmen attack after prayers

Kano voters troop out in large numbers for by-election

Soludo: APC candidate attacked voters, commissioner during Anambra election

Subscribe to DDM Newsletter for Latest News

Get Notifications from DDM News Yes please No thanks