Wontumi Multimedia has strongly denied issuing any official apology to former President John Dramani Mahama, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), or the public over controversial on-air remarks linking the former President to the recent military helicopter crash.
The denial comes after a statement, purportedly from Wontumi TV — a station owned by Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi — began circulating on social media. The alleged statement apologized for comments made by presenter Akyemkwaa Nana Kofi Asare on Saturday, August 9, 2025, in which he claimed President Mahama was connected to the fatal crash.
The widely shared document described those claims as “inappropriate, unfounded, and contrary to the values of professionalism, accuracy, and fairness in broadcasting.”
However, speaking on Channel One Newsroom on Tuesday, August 12, Wontumi Radio management member Gordon Asare Bediako insisted no such apology had been issued. He suggested the statement originated from fake, unauthorized social media accounts, noting the timing coincided with heightened tensions between Wontumi Multimedia and the National Communications Authority (NCA) over the suspension of three of its radio stations, including Wontumi Radio Accra.
“That came to us in Accra as a surprise. When we checked with Kumasi, we were told that there was nothing like that – no official apology, no retraction,” Mr. Asare Bediako explained.
“Because of the NCA’s communication and subsequent action, we were at the lawyer’s office for hours. While we were there, someone called to inform us that a letter wascirculating. When we checked, it wasn’t from our official social media handle. There are several fake accounts posing as Wontumi Multimedia, and it was one of these that was used. Later, I even saw a ‘fake’ stamp on it.”
He further noted that the company has not received any official communication from security agencies regarding reports of the broadcaster’s arrest, and the identity of those who allegedly apprehended him remains unknown.
