Mugabe Maase apologizes to NAPO over ECG sabotage lies
Broadcaster Salifu Maase, popularly known as Mugabe Maase, has publicly retracted and apologized for allegations linking former Energy Minister and 2024 New Patriotic Party (NPP) Vice Presidential Candidate, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, to an alleged scheme to sabotage electricity supply in the Ashanti Region.
Despite the public apology delivered during a live television broadcast, Dr. Opoku Prempeh has decided to proceed with his GH¢20 million defamation suit against Mugabe Maase, TV XYZ and Power 97.9 FM, insisting that the allegations caused serious damage to his reputation and public standing.
The legal battle stems from statements made on the political programme Inside Politics on May 4, 2026, during which an anonymous audio recording was aired alleging that Dr. Opoku Prempeh had allegedly paid some district engineers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in the Ashanti Region to deliberately interrupt power supply for political purposes.
According to court documents filed by the former Energy Minister through his lawyers, Sarkodie Baffour Awuah & Partners, the allegations were completely false, malicious and calculated to portray him as someone engaged in criminal conduct capable of undermining the national electricity system for political advantage.
NAPO maintains that the publication has caused significant injury to his reputation, which he says has been built over decades through public service, including his tenure as Education Minister, Energy Minister and later as the New Patriotic Party’s Vice Presidential Candidate during the 2024 general elections.
Live Apology Fails To Halt Legal Action
Although Mugabe Maase has publicly withdrawn the allegations and apologized on live television, sources close to the matter indicate that the apology has not persuaded the former Energy Minister to discontinue the legal proceedings.
His legal team is therefore pressing ahead with the suit, arguing that the gravity of the defamatory statements and the extent of their circulation require judicial determination.
ECG Engineers Also demanded Apology
Even before the defamation suit attracted national attention, the Public Utility Workers’ Union (PUWU) of the Trades Union Congress had strongly condemned the broadcast, describing the allegations against ECG engineers as false, baseless and defamatory.
In a letter dated May 29, 2026, PUWU demanded that XYZ Broadcasting Limited either produce credible evidence to support the allegations or issue an immediate public retraction and apology with the same prominence as the original broadcast.
According to the Union, the programme accused some District Engineers of the Electricity Company of Ghana in the Ashanti Region of accepting inducements to deliberately disrupt electricity supply.
PUWU stated that the allegations were aired without any verifiable evidence, proper journalistic verification or an opportunity for the affected engineers to respond.
The Union argued that the broadcast subjected the engineers to public ridicule, emotional distress and reputational damage while undermining public confidence in the Electricity Company of Ghana.
The workers’ union subsequently gave the broadcaster one week to retract the allegations or face further action.
Copies of the petition were forwarded to the management of the Electricity Company of Ghana, the National Media Commission and other relevant stakeholders. Neither the affected ECG engineers nor XYZ Broadcasting Limited publicly commented on the matter at the time.
NAPO seeks damages and injunction
In the writ filed before the court, Dr. Opoku Prempeh is seeking GH¢20 million in damages for defamation.
He is also asking the court to declare that the statements broadcast on TV XYZ and Power 97.9 FM on May 4, 2026, were defamatory. Additionally, he wants the court to order an unqualified apology and retraction to be published with equal prominence within seven days of judgment.
The suit further seeks a perpetual injunction restraining Mugabe Maase, TV XYZ, Power 97.9 FM and their agents from making or publishing any further defamatory statements against him.
The former Energy Minister is also praying the court to prohibit the defendants from using their media platforms to disseminate what he describes as false and malicious allegations capable of damaging his reputation.
Background
The controversy began after an anonymous audio recording was aired on the Inside Politics programme, alleging that Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh held meetings with some ECG district engineers in the Ashanti Region and paid them to deliberately switch off electricity in parts of the region for political purposes.
The recording quickly generated widespread public debate, with critics questioning its authenticity and demanding evidence to support the claims.
Dr. Opoku Prempeh consistently denied the allegations, describing them as fabricated, politically motivated and intended to tarnish his reputation.
Popular News
No trending posts found.