I will defend my statements vigorously – Bright Simons on Ibrahim Mahama’s GHS10m defamation suit

Bright Simons, Vice President of IMANI Africa, plans to defend his statement in court. He is responding to a defamation suit filed by Ibrahim Mahama. Mahama is a Ghanaian business mogul and philanthropist.

Simons noted that Mahama is unhappy with his comments. He stated on X that he claimed Mahama's company faced financial issues. This was due to a mining company's decision to suspend operations.

Simons also mentioned that some creditors are upset about the situation at Damang. He said, “My lawyers and I will defend these statements vigorously.” He added they hold no malice towards Mahama but will continue scrutinizing his dealings.

Mahama accused Simons of making false publications damaging his reputation and that of Engineers and Planners (E&P). The lawsuit references an article by Simons titled “Ghana Provides a Lesson in How Not to Nationalise a Gold Mine,” published on April 19, 2025.

In the article, Simons suggested E&P was financially distressed due to halted operations at the Damang gold mine. He implied that Mahama benefited improperly from political connections and received undue favor in government policies.

The plaintiffs rejected these claims as false and lacking factual basis. They seek several remedies from the court:

1. A declaration that Simons' statements are defamatory.
2. An order for Simons to publish an apology in major outlets.
3. A perpetual injunction against further defamatory statements.
4. General damages of Ten Million Ghana Cedis (GH¢10,000,000).
5. Legal costs and any other orders deemed fit by the court.

In response to the lawsuit, Simons shared on social media about receiving the writ online.