The Ga Traditional Council has clarified that the chiefs of the Ga Traditional Area have not signed the petition book opened to solicit signatures with the purpose of pushing President John Dramani Mahama to grant pardon to the three Montie FM contemnors – Alistair Nelson, Godwin Ako Gunn, and Salifu Maase, aka Mugabe – who were each sentenced to four-month jail terms by the Supreme Court for scandalising and bringing its name into disrepute.

On Monday, August 1, the Traditional Council held a press conference to add their voice to the numerous calls on Mr. Mahama to grant the contemnors pardon. However, there were reports that the chiefs had signed the petition book opened at the premises of Accra-based Radio Gold.

But speaking in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom on Accra100.5FM on Tuesday, August 2, the chief priest of the council, Nai Wulomo, Numo Akwaa Mensah III said: “We didn’t sign any book for anybody. We didn’t sign anything. We don’t have our signatures in any of the books that they are talking about or any of the books meant for the petition.”

He added: “What we said was that as the Homowo is Saturday [August 6], and then the election is just around the corner [for that matter], we are pleading with the executive body of the nation to see that they will plead with the judges for them to reconsider the situation.

“… What the three people (the contemnors) did, they didn’t do well and the judges had all the right to do anything to sentence them…but at the end of the day we are all humans and then looking at the tension around [with] the Homowo [festival almost due and with] elections around the corner, [there is the need for the judges to reconsider their decision].

“…Everything starts in Accra and being the landlord we don’t want anything to rise up because of these things that is why we came [out to speak] but we didn’t sign anything, we are just pleading on their behalf that they should reconsider the decision.”