Afenyo-Markin renders unqualified apology to Keta over fake sand weaning photos

The Deputy Majority Leader of Parliament, Mr Alexander Afenyo-Markin has rendered an unqualified apology to the people of Keta  and Ghanaians over the fake photo he flaunted as evidence of sand weaning activities at the shores of Keta days ago.

According to him, he never intended to mislead the public with the suppose photo and so apologies if anyone felt so.

He said the intention was to throw light on sand weaning activities at the coastal line, one of the reasons for tidal wave disasters.

Mr Afenyo-Markin rendered the apology on PM Express on JoyNews on Monday, monitored by GhanaPlus.com.

“…….to the extent that I had relied on the publication and as we speak, the source itself had pulled it down, I sincerely apologies for relying on this”

“Before we sign off, I once again render an unqualified apology.  We reasonable relied on this picture in an article the source has since pull down and I apologies and it wasn’t intended to mislead if it was so we wouldn’t have handed over all the documents,” Afenyo-Markin said.

“………..to all Ghanaians who had the opportunity of seeing this picture as being Keta sand weaning activity. The very people of the area who this picture depicted them of doing sand weaning with this, this apology also goes to them in all fairness”, he said when asked who are you apologizing to.

Mr Afenyo-Markin however, maintained there had been sand weaning activities at Keta of which many researchers and journalist have reported on.

Afenyo-Markin, others fight over allege sand weaning at Keta  photo

A near brawl ensued among Members of Parliament on Friday, November 12 during a press conference by the Majority on the tidal wave disaster in Keta over a picture of suppose sand weaning activities in the community.

Mr Afenyo-Markin, flaunted the picture which had several tipper trucks lined up at a coastal line being loaded with beach sand and passed it off as a scenes captured from Keta in the Volta Region.

According to him, the pictures were evidence of sand weaning activities at the community, a contributing factor to the tidal wave which hit the community recently.

However, the Members of Parliament for the South Dayi Constituency in the Volta Region, Mr Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor debunked the claim.

He insisted the picture was not from Keta as being reported by the majority.

The picture has since been established to be fake, as fact checks has revealed it was first use in Sierra Leone on February 1, 2013 and has nothing to do with Keta.

Keta tidal wave

Hundreds of homes in Keta and its surrounding community in the Volta Region were on Saturday, November 6 washed away with many others submerged in the sea water following a tidal wave disaster in the area.

Report said nearly 2,000  have been people misplaced, 3,000 homes washed away and dozens submerged in sea water.

Livelihoods have also been affected.

Source: GhanaPlus.com