President Nana Akufo-Addo
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is expected to commence his annual leave on Thursday.
A statement from the presidency signed by Eugene Arhin, Director of Communications, said the President, who is currently in France to begin a three-day official visit at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, would leave that country on Thursday, July 11.
President Akufo-Addo left Ghana last Saturday to attend the 12th Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the Africa Union (AU) held in Niamey, the capital of Niger.
The AU used the summit to officially launch the operational phase of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), after it achieved maturity on 30th May, 2019, when the 22nd member-state deposited its instrument of ratification at the AU Commission headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Union then settled on Ghana as the host country for the Secretariat of the AfCFTA after beating competition from countries such as Egypt, Ethiopia, Eswatini, Kenya, Senegal and Madagascar.
According to the communication from the presidency, the President’s leave of absence takes effect from Thursday, July 11, 2019 to July 18, 2018, when he is expected back home in Ghana to resume official duties.
The statement said while in France, President Akufo-Addo is expected to meet members of the Ghanaian community in that country and deliver an address at the France-Ghana Business Forum.
He is later scheduled to visit the Port of Marseille and hold meetings with French multinational companies such as Total and SociétéGénérale.
The President, according to the statement, was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey; Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen; Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, Yofi Grant; and officials from the presidency and foreign ministry.
Vice-President Bawumia is expected to act as President in his absence in accordance with Article 60(8) of the Constitution.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent