By Opesika Tetteh Puplampu
Sege-Ada, Dec. 16, GNA — The family of Mr Joseph Akrofi Ocansey, a freelance journalist based in Sege, has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Member of Parliament for the Sege Constituency to appear before the family to clarify alleged statements made against them in a circulating audio recording.
Otsiame-ngua Osabutey Akpakli, the head of the family, said the family would pursue legal action if Mr. Daniel Keshi Bessey, the MP, failed to honour the invitation within the stipulated period.
Mr Akpakli, who is also the senior linguist of the royal Kabiawetsu Clan of the Ada Traditional Area, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the family was deeply disturbed by the alleged remarks, which he said had tarnished their reputation.
He said the family had listened to the audio recording and considered the alleged statements defamatory and threatening to the lives of family members, including Mr. Ocansey.
According to him, attempts were made to reach the MP through an elder of the MP’s family and the constituency communications officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), but those efforts had not yielded any response.
He said as a result of the alleged threats, Mr Ocansey had gone into hiding for fear of his safety.
“Nobody knows what may happen to Akrofi. We do not know the intentions of the party executives or how far they are prepared to go,” he said.
Mr Akpakli indicated that the family would seek legal redress should the MP fail to respond within the 72-hour period.
The alleged threats are said to have occurred during a telephone conversation involving the MP, the NDC constituency communications officer, Mr Freeman Edjeodji, and the constituency youth organiser, Mr Prosper Akortia, following a Facebook post by the journalist questioning claims that security protocol slots had been allocated to the constituency through the MP.
In the audio recording, the MP was allegedly heard making sexually degrading remarks and insulting the journalist’s family, statements which the family said they interpreted as threats to the lives of the journalist and his parents.
The family described the alleged statements as unacceptable and reiterated their demand for clarification.
Mr. Ocansey has since reported the matter to the Ada Divisional Police Command.
GNA
16 Dec 2025
Edited by Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo/Kenneth Odeng Adade