The National Media Commission (NMC) said on Friday that it has settled a complaint lodged by Dr Jones Ofori-Atta, an economic consultant and a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), against Nana Kofi Coomson, publisher of the Ghanaian Chronicle.

A statement in Accra said the complaint was in respect of a story with the headline, "Kufuor's government held hostage - Major spat over 45,000 barrel crude oil contract" that appeared in the March 19-21 issue of the newspaper.

Part of the story alleged that Dr Ofori-Atta had deserted the NPP and "snuggled close to Rawlings-Atta Mills government" ending up as an adviser to the National Democratic Congress government. The story claimed that Dr Ofori-Atta had benefited substantially from that government's business such as the sale of stocks in the government's blue chip companies abroad, especially from Ashanti Goldfields Company Limited (AGC).

Dr Ofori-Atta denied that he had ever acted in any capacity and in particular as an adviser to the Rawlings/Atta-Mills government.

He also stated categorically that he never benefited from any NDC business.

The statement said the NMC found that the inferences and deductions which were purportedly made by the Ghanaian Chronicle as they relate to Dr Ofori-Atta are not borne out by the available evidence.

"The publication was in respect of the alleged business dealings of Mr Ken Ofori-Atta, the grown-up son of Dr Jones Ofori-Atta. In that regard, the article could have been written without any reference to Dr Ofori-Atta."

The NMC also found that the statement that he snuggled close to the Rawlings-Atta Mills government was unwarranted in the circumstances.

The NMC has therefore directed that the Ghanaian Chronicle should publish the statement in two continuous editions of its publication and unreservedly retract the publication in as far it relates to Dr Ofori-Atta.

It said the newspaper should also render an unqualified apology to Dr Ofori-Atta.

The newspaper has 21 days to comply with the orders.