Former President Jerry John Rawlings
DAILY GUIDE has gathered that former President Jerry John Rawlings has declined the offer to join the league of recipients for this year’s national honours.
The event, scheduled for the Accra International Conference Centre on Saturday, will see awardees going home with gold medals valued at $20,000 each.
Tsatsu Tsikata, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), is also said to have declined the offer for the national award.
The basis for their rejection is yet to be disclosed, but when DAILY GUIDE contacted the event coordinator, Commodore Steve Obimpeh, Senior Presidential Advisor, he declined to mention the names of the recipients.
Asked if Mr Rawlings was on the list, he said ‘No,’ explaining that the list was given to him (Obimpeh) from the presidency.
“How many people are we looking at?” DAILY GUIDE posed the question to Cdr Obimpeh.
“Oh please,” he yelled and banged the phone.
When Dr Omane Boamah, the Communications Minister, was contacted, he said he didn’t have the list but mentioned Prof Fred Newton Binka, the foundation Vice Chancellor of the University of Allied Health Sciences.
“Awards on Saturday; Prof Binka is one of them,” the minister disclosed.
The total awardees for this year are 28, including former Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral Mathew Quarshie; Alhaji Hudu Yahaya, former National Democratic Congress (NDC) General Secretary; Kofi Totobi Quakye, former National Security Coordinator and Dr. Kwabena Adjei, former National Chairman of the NDC, among others.
According to our sources at the presidency, President Mahama will present gold medals to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) gurus.
The national honours and awards ceremony is expected to be held at the Accra International Conference Centre.
It is expected to be attended by some high-profile personalities, including the Prime Minister of France, who is expected to pay a working visit to the country.
President Mahama, in 2015, honoured 33 individuals for their meritorious services to the state.
The awardees are selected for their commitment and service to the nation at the district and national levels, and across various sectors – education, security, politics and economy.
Some of those honoured in 2015 were the Speaker of Parliament Edward Doe Adjaho; former Chief of Staff, Henry Martey-Newman; former Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Alhassan and his predecessor, Paul Tawiah Quaye.
By Melvin Tarlue