Lawyers for businessman, Ibrahim Mahama have written to policy analyst, Bright Simons over what they describe as defamatory and misleading claims made in a recent article on Ghana’s handling of the Damang gold mine.
The article, titled “Ghana Provides a Lesson in How Not to Nationalise a Gold Mine”, was published on Simons’ personal blog on April 19, 2025.
In the said article, he alleged that Engineers & Planners (E&P)—a mining services company linked to Mr. Mahama—was poised to benefit from political interference following the state’s decision not to renew Gold Fields’ lease at the Damang site.
Simons further claimed that E&P, which he described as “a powerful operator owned by the brother of Ghana’s President,” had been financially strained by Gold Fields’ operational halt and was facing creditor pressure. He also questioned the impartiality of officials at the Minerals Commission, implying undue influence in favour of E&P.
In a rebuttal issued through the Robert Smith Law Group, lawyers for Mr. Mahama and E&P rejected the claims outright and described the publication as “false, malicious and injurious” to the reputation of their clients, insisting that E&P remains financially sound and operates independently of any political office or figure.
The lawyers have demanded a full retraction of the article and an unreserved apology from Simons within seven days, warning of imminent legal proceedings should he fail to comply.
Bright Simons, a vice president of IMANI Africa, is yet to respond publicly to the letter.
