When former President Kufuor decided to put up the presidential palace at the then Flagstaff House, President Mills was one of the people who vehemently protested against the decision.

The Chronicle does not fault the latter for his views over the issue, because most Ghanaians at the time kicked against the decision, since the general view was that the project was not a priority one for government.

But the then NPP government defied public criticisms and went ahead to build the presidential edifice. Former President Kufuor used the new Presidential Palace during the latter part of his regime before handing over power, after his party had lost the 2008 elections.

His Excellency John Evans Mills, the then President-elect was conducted round the Presidential Palace by ex President Kufuor, where the former promised to use the Jubilee House and also commended his predecessor for his good vision.

Almost eleven months down the line, the Atta Mills government has failed to move into the facility. The reason that has been churned out so far is that the facility is incomplete and cannot, therefore, accommodate the President and his supporting staff.

Surprisingly the same government that claims that the Presidential complex is incomplete, announced on Wednesday that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which offices was gutted by fire recently, has been asked to re-locate to the place, pending the building of a new office complex at Airport Junction, in Accra.

Though we have reliably been informed that the foreign affairs staff would only be using the outer offices and not the main building meant for presidential use, we view the decision as very regrettable. The Presidential complex is a high security area, and therefore relocating a Ministry to the place is highly untenable.

With the Ministry operating from the Jubilee House, and from the services that they offer to the general public, it means a lot of people are going to walk in and out of the place. The Chronicle does not think that a government that is serious about security matters would allow the nation’s Presidential Palace to be used as an open place for everybody.

As noted by Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani, the immediate past Chief of Staff, during his recent radio interview, the building that housed the former Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, which is very close to the State House, could be made to host the Foreign Ministry.

Looking at the diplomatic angle of the government’s decision, The Chronicle wishes to caution the government that it could send wrong signals to the government of India, who financially supported the construction of the Jubilee House. It should not be made to look like Ghanaians have not appreciated the work that they have done for the nation.

Whether the Atta Mills National Democratic Congress (NDC) party supported the construction of the palace or not, it has been put up in the name of the state, and the people of Ghana are duty-bound to use it for its intended purpose.

The decision to relocate the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Presidential Palace is wrong, and must be reviewed now, because as a country, we cannot afford to joke with the security of the official residence of Ghana’s number one citizen.


Source: Chronicle/Ghana