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New Patriotic Party (NPP) Ashanti Regional Secretary, Sam Payne has brushed aside claims that President Akufo-Addo endorsed Menzgold.

Some aggrieved customers of alleged fraudulent Gold-Trading company; Menzgold have accused President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, His Majesty Otumfuo Osei-Tutu II, Asantehene, His Eminence Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, National Chief Imam of Ghana and former President John Kufuor of leading them to invest in the company because of their direct and/or indirect endorsement.

On President Kufuor’s part, he is alleged to have praised Menzgold when the gold trading company gave him a customized gold monument medals with an engraved image of him on it during the launch of the three-day Art Festival at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Accra, on 1st June 2018.

On President Akufo-Addo, it is believed that as part of the agreement for Nana Appiah Mensah to sponsor the league, the then GFA President, Kwasi Nyantakyi, was to facilitate a meeting between NAM 1 and the President which happened.

After announcing plans to sponsor the Ghana Premier League, which had been without a headline sponsor, Nana Appiah Mensah was led by Kwesi Nyantakyi to pay a courtesy call on the President.

The meeting with the President Akufo-Addo came weeks after NAM 1 led a delegation of executives and staff of Zylofon Media and MenzGold to “honour an invitation by Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to grace the Akwasidae at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi”, where the team landed with Nana Appiah Mensah’s alleged private jet.

After this, Nana Appiah Mensah received the National Chief Imam Sheikh Osumanu Nuhu Sharubutu in his NAM Mission Headquarters where it was reported that Nana Appiah Mensah pledged to donate Ghc 1 Million as seed money for the setting up of the ‘Sheikh Nuhu Osmanu Sharubutu Educational Fund’ to support the education of bright but needy Muslims in Ghana.

The angry Menzgold customers claim they were pushed to trust the gold dealership because of what they saw as an “endorsement” Nana Appiah Mensah got from these four powerful personalities in Ghana.

A woman speaking to the media during a demonstration of Menzgold customers in Kumasi, Ashanti Regional capital said she gained confidence to invest in his company because of a picture she saw of Akufo-Addo and Nam 1.

The meeting with President Akufo Addo at the Presidency was further highlighted by Allotey Jacobs on Wednesday's edition of Peacefm's flagship morning show programme.

But contributing to discussions on the ‘Kokrokoo’ show, Sam Payne said Akufo-Ado never endorsed the company and that “the fact that they shook hands in a picture” does not mean he approved of their dealings.

“Nam 1 is not Akufo-Addo’s friend…the fact that he visited him (Akufo-Addo) and took a picture with him does not mean he endorsed his business” he indicated.