President Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo left the country this morning for Mali.
He is there at the request of the Chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) , Mahamadou Issoufou who is also the President of Niger, to help mediate in the ongoing political crisis in Mali, as part of a delegation of ECOWAS leaders who have been assembled.
It is the first time President Akufo-Addo is travelling outside the country since the outbreak of the corona virus pandemic and the closure of the Ghana’s air, land and sea borders.
A statement from the presidency said “President Akufo-Addo will be joined in Mali by His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; His Excellency Alassane Ouattara, President of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire; and His Excellency Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal. They are expected to hold stakeholder consultations with the President of the Republic of Mali, His Excellency Boubacar Keita, the Imam of Mali and Co-ordinator of the Opposition, Mahmoud Dicko, and Civil Society groups, with a view to resolving the impasse.”
He was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Anyaa Sowutuom and officials of the Presidency and Foreign Ministry.
President Akufo-Addo is expected back home later today, Thursday.
In his absence, Vice President Bawumia is acting as President in accordance with Article 60(8) of the Constitution.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent