The Editor
MyJoyonline.com
Multimedia Limited
30th December 2024
Dear Editor,
Rejoinder: Apology to Lawfields Consulting
I believe that the ethics of the journalism profession grant everyone about whom something is written in the press the right of rejoinder. I therefore fully understand why Lawfields would wish to react to the passage in the essay I wrote that touches upon their firm.
This right, however, does not extend to a right to an apology for opinions about oneself that one merely does not agree with.
I reproduce the passage in question below.
- It is clear from the extract above that the association between Lawfields and the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana in charge of banking supervision was in the past. Whether this was 2011 or 1911 doesn’t alter the import of the point being made. She once owned the Lawfields entity.
- The Deputy Governor is not the only Bank of Ghana affiliate who has been closely related to Lawfields in the past. At least one other former official (director-level) of the central bank was also a Director at Lawfields until he passed away a few years ago. It is an entirely reasonable deduction to say that a certain law firm “has strong ties” to the Bank of Ghana if it has had not one but, at least, two former Directors who have also been senior officials of the central bank.
- As I have explained and demonstrated to Multimedia, I have evidence that Lawfields has: a) reviewed multiple contracts and agreements for DBG and b) that some of these contracts have come under scrutiny. As illustration, I attach the email trail from DBG’s own records showing that a certain “Peninnah Asah” cleared the Kulana contract. I am certain that this is the same Peninnah Asah who was once a Personal Assistant to a Ghanaian Attorney General and now presents herself as an “Associate Partner” at Lawfields. Since Ms. Asah is not on the key management personnel list of DBG, she can only be operating at this sensitive level on secondment from Lawfields. DBG has acknowledged the authenticity of the internal audit reports which show clearly that the Kulana contract has been the subject of ongoing scrutiny within DBG.
The DBG affair is very much alive. Our investigations are proceeding apace. Lawfields is an important player at DBG in its capacity as a key legal consultant to the organisation and shall, when necessary and where relevant, be mentioned in connection with these investigations.
It is fine if Lawfields interprets evidence differently from us. We are open to hearing their views on these matters going forward. A mere divergence of perception about the import of undisputed underlying facts should, however, never become a basis for apologising.
Wishing all Multimedia people the happiest new year ever. I look forward to even stronger collaboration in keeping the public informed in 2025.
Yours sincerely,
Bright Simons