Operators of the online news platform ModernGhana.com have responded to a release and directive by the National Media Commission (NMC), which, in a ruling, directed them to issue an apology and retraction over a publication made against Adamus Resources Limited and its CEO.

In its November 27, 2025 release, the NMC stated that ModernGhana.com and another media platform had failed to reach out to the complainant for verification before publishing a story that she described as “misleading and damaging,” thereby breaching the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) Code of Ethics.

The NMC also ruled that in addition to the retraction and apology, the two platforms must remove all publications concerning the complainant.

The apology is also to be published, with all actions to be completed within seven days of the issuance of the ruling.

However, in a response to the NMC dated December 3, 2025, ModernGhana.com sought to set the record straight, stating that the NMC’s position is “misleading and a calculated attempt to distort facts and smear the hard-earned reputation of a platform that has deliberately upheld journalistic standards for close to two decades.”

It stated that the publication, made in January 2025, was removed shortly thereafter, despite Adamus Resources opting for litigation instead of resolving the matter directly with the media platform.

“… The mining company’s representative also told our Editor that management of Adamus Resources Limited had filed a complaint at the National Media Commission (NMC) over the story published on ModernGhana.com. According to the representative, he advised the management of Adamus Resources Limited to use a friendly approach to resolve issues with the media and not litigation, which is why he decided to step in to resolve the matter on their behalf. Our Editor indicated that management of Adamus Resources Limited did not approach ModernGhana.com directly about any story. The NMC did not serve ModernGhana.com with a complaint letter from Adamus Resources Limited.

NMC demands apology, retraction from two media giants over publication

“Our Editor, after listening to the representative’s reason for the removal, clearly indicated that his reasons for the removal of the story were not satisfactory. Our Editor took time to explain the circumstances under which one can cause to remove a story from ModernGhana.com. After the back and forth, management of ModernGhana.com for the first time, applied a ‘human face’ to the request and willingly removed the said story from the website on 29th January 2025 purely based on principle. The matter was completely resolved. The Adamus Resources Limited representative freely walked away smiling and giggling,” the statement said.

ModernGhana.com added that a meeting with the NMC and the company did not address the publication that was the subject of the complaint.

“On September 3, 2025, a meeting was held at the NMC. Present at the meeting were our Editor, a journalist with a lawyer from classfmonline.com, three officers from Adamus Resources Limited, and officials of the Commission. At the meeting, the stories upon which Adamus Resources Limited filed a complaint at the NMC and which were later resolved by ModernGhana.com, never came up for discussion,” it stated.

The media platform questioned the NMC’s ruling that directed it to issue an apology, noting that the matter had already been resolved.

“The question we ask is this: What is ModernGhana.com apologising for? A matter that was resolved eight months ago? Or a story that came up during a supposed friendly meeting? Was the meeting a court? If yes, why didn’t the NMC write or inform ModernGhana.com earlier about the fresh complaint? Why wasn’t ModernGhana.com given the opportunity to prepare and present evidence to defend itself? Why direct ModernGhana.com to apologise to Adamus Resources Limited when the same story is still on the website of GNA, the original content provider and also on ModernGhana.com?” it queried.

It added, “We conclude that the conduct of the NMC throughout this process raises serious questions about its intentions, its neutrality, and its commitment to fairness. Why did the Commission resurrect a matter that both parties conclusively resolved eight months earlier? Why did it summon ModernGhana.com under the guise of a cordial engagement only to convert the meeting into an adversarial tribunal over an unrelated story? And why has the NMC now issued a public condemnation that contradicts the very spirit of the meeting it convened and disregards the explanations provided by our Editor?”



MAG/AE

Meanwhile, watch some videos from the NPP's 2025 Constitution Amendment