The National Executives of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM) has taken legal action against three persons over the publication of what it terms slanderous content made by the defendants.
The National President, Philip Kwasi Akuffo, has described as “defamatory”, the publication of various allegations against him and other executives, accusing them of lack of accountability, exploiting the rank and file for personal gains, allocating some concessions designated for national distribution to certain executives and exhibiting unprecedented levels of greed.
The writ jointly filed by the President, GNASSM vice-president, Sampson Wiredu and Godwin Nii Armah, secretary of GNASSM at a High Court and issued by the lawyer for the plaintiff, Nana Akwasi Osei Bonsu Esq. is seeking an apology and damages amounting to GH₵500,000 against each defendant for the alleged defamatory publications.
The three persons are Philip K. Bawah, Daniel Kwaku Mensah, and Yaw Amoafo who are former employees of the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners.
In the writ filed on June 25, 2024, the plaintiffs alleged that the publication by the defendants on various media outlets was not only false, malicious and reckless but also intended to open the plaintiffs to public scorn, and hatred and reduce them in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society.
They are also, therefore, praying the court to order the defendants to publish on three consecutive occasions on the same platforms where the defamations were made, a retraction and apology with the same prominence as given to the issuance of the defamatory words made against the plaintiffs.
The defendants are also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, assigns and servants from further publishing any defamatory comments about the plaintiffs and further costs covering legal fees.
At an emergency Extraordinary General Meeting held on the 25th of June 2024, it was revealed that they have formed an association that is not functioning and want to destroy GNASSM by attacking the leadership.
The members present from all the 13 mining districts in the country debunked assertions in the press release by Philip Bawah and Co indicating that it does not reflect views and the aspirations of all the members.
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