Former Minister of Trade and Industry, K.T. Hammond, has demanded an immediate retraction and an unqualified apology from the Herald Newspaper and GhanaWeb over a report alleging that he travelled to Turkey in connection with negotiations involving AKSA Energy.
In a press release issued through his law firm, Cavendish Chambers, Mr Hammond challenged the two media organisations to produce evidence within 24 hours to substantiate the publication.
The demand follows a report published by the Herald Newspaper on August 17, 2026, and subsequently reproduced by GhanaWeb, which claimed that Mr Hammond was among a delegation that travelled to Turkey in connection with the AKSA Energy transaction.
Mr Hammond, who was a ranking member of Parliament’s Mines and Energy Committee at the time, strongly denied the allegation.
He said he had consistently maintained that he was not part of the delegation, whether in a technical or other capacity, that visited Turkey as alleged.
According to him, his only visit to Turkey was in May 2024, when he travelled in his capacity as Minister of Trade and Industry of Ghana.
“The Herald Newspaper and the GhanaWeb Online have published a story contradicting this position. They assert positively that I was among the delegation which visited Turkey during the AKSA negotiations,” the statement said.
Mr Hammond has therefore challenged the two media organisations to provide evidence supporting the claim within 24 hours.
He further demanded that, in the absence of such evidence, both publications should prominently issue an unequivocal retraction of the report and an unqualified apology to him within the same period.
The former minister warned that failure to meet the 24-hour deadline would compel him to initiate legal proceedings against the two media organisations.
“I will commence legal proceedings against these entities,” he stated.
The statement was dated August 17, 2026, and signed by Mr Hammond.
By: Christian Kpesese/ NR NEWS
