President Akufo-Addo introducing President Alassane Ouattara to Samuel Abu Jinapo (right), and Mr Asenso Boakye (2nd right), Deputy Chiefs of Staff at the ceremony in Accra
Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara brought his two-day state visit to Ghana to an end yesterday, thanking his host, President Akufo-Addo, for the kind reception accorded him and members of his delegation.
At a press conference at the Flagstaff House before the Ivorian leader got back home, President Akufo-Addo was full of praise for the Ivorian leader, describing him as a blessing.
“I’ve been particularly lucky in my period as President of Ghana that I’ve had from the Ivorian side, a man with the stature and experience and quality of Alassane Ouattara, who’s been particularly a blessing for me as Ghanaian President…,” he spoke of his guest.
Belief
According to him, the two days’ visit proved very fruitful, believing that as the various agreements begin to play out in the public space, the Ghanaian and the Ivorian people would recognize their necessity and their value.
President Akufo-Addo was particularly overwhelmed by the cailbre of ministers and officials President Ouattara brought to the country during the visit, describing it as significant, even though he also has almost his entire government machinery on hand.
He noted, “They’ve done a tremendous amount of work and I want to congratulate all the ministers involved on both sides and the two Ministers of Foreign Affairs on an extremely productive engagement over these two days which has been reduced into writing in the agreements that have been executed this morning.”
In spite of the arrangements on paper and whatever technical understandings that there may be, President Akufo-Addo stressed, “If there is no will to make words on paper live in the lives of people, they remain exactly that – words on paper.”
Confidence
He was confident that “In President Ouattara, I have a partner who is determined to translate the words we have found on paper into concrete actions to the benefit of our two peoples.
“That political will, that determination that we move from an era of great and greater intimacy is what could give meaning to the work that we have done these last two days.”
For him, “it’s obvious that if Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire remain in harmony and are determined to work together, the benefit will inure to not just our populations, but to the wider group of people in the West African region.”
Expectation
President Akufo-Addo therefore charged, “We should and can be, and I believe now we are making it clear to the world we’re determined to be the……vehicle that makes possible the greater cooperation and integration of the peoples of West Africa; that has to be our future.”
He was of the firm conviction that artificial divisions like language and borders should not hinder the forward march, whilst stressing the need for the two countries to as it were, “proceed step by step in consideration, recognizing…but committed always to the overall goal of working together to promote the greater good of our people.”
As neighbours, President Akufo-Addo said, “We are bound by so many ties and working together is the best guarantee that the various strengths that we have individually can be put together for our two populations.”
By Charles Takyi-Boadu,Presidential Correspondent