Kwamena Bartels, Minister of Private Sector Development, on Friday threatened to sue the Free Press newspaper for 100 million cedis damages for defaming him.

The alleged defamatory statement was published in the November 9 edition of the paper headlined: "Where is the 2.3 billion cedis refund from Pentax? Kwamena Bartels' unnatural silence."

The GNA reports sources close to the Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Works and Housing as saying that the Minister considered the story as injurious to his image. He was consulting with his lawyers to file the suit.

The sources said the Minister considered the publication as "lowering him in the estimation of the right thinking members of society" and wished to redeem his image through the intended court action.