Some heads of state and governments have started arriving for the President-elect, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s swearing-in ceremony on Thursday, January 7, 2021.
Those who have arrived already are: President of Guinea-Bissau, Umaru Sissoco Embalo, President of Liberia, George Oppong Weah and Vice President of Angola, Bernito De Sousa.
They were welcomed on arrival at the VVIP Lounge of the Kotoka International Airport by the Senior Minister, Yaw Osafo Maafo, on Wednesday afternoon.
So far, 12 heads of state and governments have confirmed their participation in the investiture of President-elect, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and Vice-President-elect, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
They include the heads of State of Senegal, Mali, Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Angola, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Chad and Niger.
Other countries to be represented by their Foreign Ministers are Nigeria, The Gambia, India, France and Rwanda.
Other foreign dignitaries which have confirmed their participation include; the United Kingdom’s Minister for Africa, the United States of America’s Special Envoy responsible for the Sahel, President of ECOWAS Commission, Chairperson of the African Union Commission and representatives of the CDU and Allied Parties from Germany.
All foreign delegations attending the ceremony are required to present negative PCR test results conducted 72 hours from country of origin before arriving in Ghana.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, and Chairperson of the Inauguration Subcommittee, Presidential Transition Team, made this known during a media briefing last Tuesday.
She said the Committee, operating in consonance with the Presidential Transition Act 2012, (Act 845), had been working collaboratively with the leadership of Parliament to ensure a successful ceremony.
Ms Botchway said the President-elect and Vice President-elect would take oaths before Parliament in keeping with the 1992 Constitution.
All invited guests are supposed to be seated by 0945 hours for the ceremony to start at exactly 1100 hours.
Ms Botchway stated that all the necessary security and safety arrangements were being made in accordance with the COVID-19 protocols to safeguard the health and safety of all participants.
“The arrangements we’re making are aimed at ensuring elegance and at the same time a cost-effective ceremony.”
“If you don’t have an invitation to the ceremony, you can watch it from the comfort of your homes as it will be broadcast live on the state television, GTV, and all major TV and radio stations,” Ms Botchway advised.
About 6,000 security personnel have been deployed to provide security and maintain law and order during the President’s investiture.
GNA