Board Chairman of Power Distribution Services (PDS) Ghana Limited, Philip Ayesu has denied media reports suggesting that he had a conversation with Gabby Asare Otchere Darko and Edward Akufo-Addo, who are family members of President Nana Akufo-Addo over how to share PDS shares.
According to him, the alleged conversation never happened, hence, the voice recording making the rounds is fake.
PDS signed a concession agreement with the West African nation’s Electricity Company of Ghana on March 1, 2019, but the government terminated the agreement on the basis of what it described as fundamental and material breaches of the contract by PDS.
Since the agreement was terminated, there has been media discussions about the issue with some blaming some members in the Akufo-Addo administration.
Ghanaweb.com, on Friday, November 29, 2019, published a story that suggested the accused, Mr Philip Ayesu, of wrongdoing.
The conversion on the alleged audio recording is transcribed below as published by the Ghanaweb.com.
The conversation is transcribed below:
Gabby: So you can’t go below 40?
Phili Ayensu: No sir…
Gabby: At all…?
Philip Ayensu: Gabby, you see, you know we’ve come far ooo.
Gabby: Me, I’m just… I’m just trying to…
Philip Ayensu: No, I can’t go below the 40… I will rather prefer getting off and getting something out of it and getting off…
Gabby: Ok so? I see…
Philip Ayensu: This is to demonstrate that this is for me and not for anybody… And…and that is something I want to come very strong on on…
Edward Akufo-Addo (Bumpty): if that’s your final position, then,we have to let the other know, sign all the documents
Philip Ayensu: Ok sir. I appreciate you sir. Thank you very much…
Edward Akufo-Addo (Bumpty): Ok all right…
Philip Ayensu: Thank you.
However, in a statement issued and copied to energynewsafrica.com, Mr Phillip Ayensu described the audio recording as fake.
He added that he had referred the defamatory comments, which is aimed at tarnishing his hard won reputation, to his lawyers and would also be lodging a complaint with the Ghana Police Service.
“I can strongly confirm that the said recording is fake and pregnant with mischief to score an expensive political point using me as a pawn, since no such conversation ever occurred. It is but an elaborate fabrication with the help of an artificial intelligence-based software. It only reminds me of the reported voice spoofing video recording of President Donald Trump and Speaker Nancy Pelosi which was exposed by CNN, and recently a similar recording of British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and opposition leader Corbyn,” Mr Ayesu said in a statement.
Below is Mr Phillip Ayensu’s full statement:
PHILIP AYESU RESPONDS TO FAKE VOICE RECORDING
My attention has been drawn to a 29th November, 2019, Ghanaweb publication headlined: “PDS SCANDAL…” of an alleged recording of a conversation between myself and Gabby Asare Otchere Darko, discussing PDS shares.
I would like to put on record that this is a mischievous and totally fabricated story. It never happened. I have never hazarded the thought of owning 40% of the shares in PDS, and never owned anything close to that amount of shares in PDS for any person to have suggested to me for my shares to be reduced below 40%, and the records faithfully attest to this. I have never discussed any such thing with my lawyers or other shareholders, let alone with a third party.
I can strongly confirm that the said recording is fake and pregnant with mischief to score an expensive political point using me as a pawn, since no such conversation ever occurred. It is but an elaborate fabrication with the help of an artificial intelligence-based software. It only reminds me of the reported voice spoofing video recording of President Donald Trump and Speaker Nancy Pelosi which was exposed by CNN and recently a similar recording of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Opposition leader Corbyn.
Suffice to say, in any event, as an individual entrepreneur, I am at liberty to take advice from anybody I choose and also discuss with whomever I wish to discuss my private business, without the remote threat of breaching any law or agreement with any other party. But, it must be stressed that this particular purported conversation with Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko never happened. It is purely false and fake.
The perpetrator of this falsehood has been persistent in lies about myself and PDS in which one of my other companies has some equity participation and even extends it to my advisors.
I have consistently resisted any urge to respond to issues which have come into the public domain; however, the circulation of a conversation purportedly involving me which borders on criminality warrants a response and the taking of appropriate actions.
I have referred this defamatory mischief calculated to tarnish my hard-earned reputation to my lawyers and will be lodging a complaint with the Ghana Police Service.
Thank you.
Signed
Philip Ayesu.
Source: www.energynewsafrica.com
