Claim: Multiple social media posts alleged Ghanaian lawmaker Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has a connection with the Chinese nationals spotted at Kantamanto, the popular second-hand clothes market in Accra.
Verdict: False. DUBAWA’s research showed that the Chinese nationals seen at Kantamanto days after the massive fire tore through the market have no connection with Mr Ablakwa, as alleged. The Chinese men the lawmaker met sometime in his electoral constituency are not the same people the traders spotted at the popular second-hand clothes market.
Full Text
Multiple social media posts alleged Ghanaian lawmaker Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has a close connection with the Chinese nationals seen at Kantamanto, the popular second-hand clothes market in Accra that went up in flames on Jan 2, 2025.
Traders at the market hooted at the two Chinese nationals who were seen at the scene of the fire disaster, reportedly to evaluate the land.
Less than 24 hours after the inferno, some social media users alleged Ghanaian lawmaker Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa had a relationship with the Chinese nationals.
A Facebook user posted on Jan. 3, 2025,
“According to NEWSGH360(@NewsGH360), an online news portal, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has a link with the Chinese man who was spotted at Kantamanto today doing land evaluation and sending excavators to the scene. Allegedly, they were NDC financiers during the just-ended elections.”
Another Facebook user wrote on Jan. 4, 2025, “These Chinese are NDC bankrolled and Okudzeto Ablakwah’s partners.
See other social media posts on the claim here and here.
The social media data showed the posts received over 55,000 combined views, 24,453 reposts, and 34,444 likes as of Jan. 17, 2025.
DUBAWA decided to probe the claim due to its virality in West Africa.
Verification
DUBAWA’s research showed that the Chinese nationals seen at Kantamanto days after the massive fire tore through the market have no connection with Mr Ablakwa, as alleged.
Mr Ablakwa is seen in a picture with two Chinese nationals and two other people. The photo was reportedly taken in 2022. Many social media users claimed the men spotted at Kantamanto were the same people the lawmaker met.
However, DUBAWA’s search on InVid and Truepic showed the Chinese men the lawmaker met sometime in his electoral constituency are not the same people traders spotted at the popular second-hand clothes market.
One of the two Chinese nationals Mr Ablakwa met appears to be older, but the two seen at Kantamanto were young.
Reacting to the claim in a Facebook post, the lawmaker advised Ghanaians to “ignore and treat with utter contempt” reports about his association with the two Chinese seen at Kantamanto.
“This time, the scoundrels and villains are circulating 2022 photos of my engagement with the management of a Chinese ethanol production company, Sinostone Bioethanol Manufacturing Limited, located in my beloved constituency when I made employment arrangements for stranded North Tongu NaBCo personnel,” the ex-deputy Ghanaian education minister said.
Conclusion
The two Chinese nationals seen at Kantamanto days after the massive fire tore through the stalls have no connection with Mr Ablakwa, as alleged.