....SETTLE FOR ?7 MILLION COMPENSATION AND ?1 MILLION COST ... As It Retracts Libel Against Kwamena Ahwoi

THE "Evening News" newspaper and its former editor, Francis Assuah and two reporters of the paper, have agreed to retract a libellous story published against Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, ex-NDC Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and Planning, Regional Economic Co-operation and Integration, in its issue of Monday, September 17, 2001, and to publish an apology on the front page in two consecutive issues of the paper. Mr Francis Assuah was the NPP parliamentary candidate in the 1992 elections, which were boycotted by the Party.

The "Evening News" has also agreed to pay compensation of ?7 million to Mr Ahwoi and costs of ?1 million to his counsel. "Ghana Palaver" has learnt that the total amount involved has already been paid. The settlement terms were agreed to between Vanderpuije Law Consult, solicitors for Mr Ahwoi, and Dometi Kofi Sokpor, solicitors for the defendants as well as the management of New Times Corporation, owners and publishers of the "Evening News". The other defendants in the case were Samuel Duodu and Patrick Bonna, both "Evening News" writers and New Times Corporation.

On Monday, July 15, 2002, Mrs Justice Agnes Dzordzie, sitting at an Accra High Court, accepted the settlement terms and entered judgement for Mr Kwamena Ahwoi.

It will be recalled that Mr Kwamena Ahwoi filed suit for libel in connection with a banner headline story in the "Evening News" which read: "Ahwoi's ?55 million Send Off Party ? That Never Was", in which the former NDC Minister was alleged to have "forced" each of the 110 District Assemblies in the country to contribute ?500,000.00 towards the cost of a send-off party for himself and a welcome party for his successor, Mrs Cecilia Johnson, when he was transferred from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to set up the newly-created Ministry of Planning, Regional Economic Co-operation and Integration in December, 1999.

In his action, Mr Ahwoi claimed that the story as published was false and fabricated, that no such "order" was ever given by him and that no party was ever held. He attached to his statement of claim a speech in the Local Government Information Digest published by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development at a time when he was not Minister in which he had specifically ordered the cancellation of a planned send-off party for him and explained his reasons for doing so. Contacted for his comments on the settlement terms, Mr Ahwoi stated: "I have considered many factors before agreeing to a settlement and before agreeing to these settlement terms, the most important of which is that at the end of it all, New Times Company being a state-owned enterprise, it is neither Mr Francis Assuah nor Messrs Duodu and Bonna who will be paying whatever damages will be awarded, but the people of Ghana, who, as the whole shareholders of the Company, will have to pay either by way of taxes or loss of or reduction in dividends".

Mr Ahwoi had earlier been awarded ?200,000.00 by Mrs Justice Dzordzie for the defendant's failure to seek leave to file their defence out of time.