Head of Communications at the Presidency, Koku Anyidoho, has ruled out suggestions that the Foreign Affairs Ministry would return to the fire-gutted former office.

The 10-storey edifice was ravaged by fire two weeks ago in an incident police say was an arsonist attack.

While a committee appointed by President Mills to investigate the incident has yet to submit its findings, the ministry has, over the last two weeks, been operating from the International Conference Centre.

Speaking to Joy News on Wednesday on the back of reports that the ministry relocates to the Golden Jubilee House with immediate effect, Mr Anyidoho said: “It stands to reason that if a permanent structure is going to be put up…it’s only natural to conjecture properly that the Foreign Affairs Ministry will not go back to where it used to be before.”

Construction of a new office complex for the Foreign Affairs Ministry is expected to start by end of the year.

The office will be sited at the parcel of land on which the former International Students Hostel, near the Kotoka International Airport, stood.

Sector Minister Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni has told Joy News the construction works will be funded by the Chinese government as a form of technical assistance to the Ghana government.

He could not tell how much the construction would cost but explains plans for the project were well advanced before the fire outbreak.

Mr Anyidoho also defended suggestions by the ruling party that the construction of the presidential palace should not have been a topmost priority at the time it was put up.

“Given the same amount of money, the NDC government would have prioritized things differently,” he said.

The presidential palace is almost complete, and it was expected that the Presidency would start government business from there soon.

It is now unclear when this will happen as the Foreign Affairs ministry assumes the edifice.

Play attached audio for voice of Koku Anyidoho




Story by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana