President Akufo-Addo with Emmanuel Mpfayokurera
President Akufo-Addo yesterday received the credentials of four foreign envoys posted to Ghana.
They included the representatives of Saudi Arabia, Malta, Bulgaria and Burundi.
The Burundian envoy, Emmanuel Mpfayokurera, praised the President for his leadership style which he described as unmatched on the continent.
“I bring you greetings and fraternal greetings from the President of Burundi who considers you as the best and greatest President in Africa in this era.”
He said they have been following the works and speeches of Ghana’s President and become convinced that “he has become a star in Africa.”
“Everybody consider you as the best president; Africa needs you right now because it has to change the mentality of all Africans.”
He said President Akufo-Addo was working in the interest of not only Ghanaians but all Africans.
“We are very happy; it’s not me only, it’s not the President of Burundi only [who] considers you as one of the greatest Presidents; it’s all Africans…we need such a leadership in Africa, we wish you keep on being the leader.”
That, he said, was the reason why many leaders on the continent, including the Burundian President, have expressed delight in working with President Akufo-Addo.
The Ambassador was confident other leaders on the continent can work with President Akufo-Addo to make the dreams of the Africa Union (AU) a reality.
President Akufo-Addo thanked him for the confidence reposed in him and reiterated his determination to continue to push the agenda of Africa and improve cooperation among AU member countries.
“One of the things we all can do in this period of the continent is to bring the African Continental Free Trade Area into effect as soon as possible because it provides us with the legal-institutional framework of accelerating economic relations amongst ourselves.”
On his part, the High Commissioner of Malta to Ghana, Jean Claude Galea Mallia, observed that a lot has been achieved over the years in bilateral relations between Ghana and Malta.
He disclosed that the Maltese President was keenly awaiting the visit of President Akufo-Addo to Malta next week.
The Bulgarian Ambassador, Vesselin Blagoev Delchev, said his country considers Ghana as a leading country on the African continent.
To that end, he indicated that Bulgaria would seek strong bilateral, trade and economic relations with Ghana for the mutual benefit of the peoples of Ghana and Bulgaria.
Meshal Hamdam Al-Rogi, the Saudi Ambassador, pledged to work hard to deepen the cherished relationship between the two countries during his duty tour.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent