By:Kenneth Appiah Bani
Sandra Ewool, a prominent social media strategist with ties to the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has publicly apologized to Malik Basintale, Chief Executive Officer of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), for sharing a falsified degree verification letter allegedly from the University of Ghana.
The controversy erupted after Ewool, who previously handled social media duties for former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, posted the unverified document on her Facebook page. The letter, which quickly gained traction online, falsely claimed that the University of Ghana had questioned the authenticity of Basintale’s academic credentials.
The document, addressed to the Civil Service Council and purportedly signed by the university’s Registrar, was widely circulated across social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter). The post, now deleted, ignited widespread political debate and led to calls from critics for Basintale’s dismissal based on the forged letter.
Facing mounting backlash and pressure, Ewool deleted the post and issued a public apology on Facebook.
“Some of my friends at the University of Ghana tell me the letter is fake. So I have taken it down,” she wrote. “Apologies to Malik Basintale! We are watching with eagle eyes going forward. If you have any fake certificate from anywhere, go and do the needful before we come for you.”
Her apology came amid growing demands from supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Basintale to consider legal action for defamation and reputational harm.
In an official statement, the University of Ghana denounced the letter as fraudulent. According to the Public Affairs Directorate:
“The said letter is a forgery. Neither the Registrar nor any officer of the University has received, processed, or responded to any such request regarding Malik Basintale.”
The University emphasized that no verification of Basintale’s degree had been requested or conducted, urging the public to disregard the false document.
