Appointed Ambassadors, High Commissioners will be posted — Prez Mahama

The President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, has stated that none of the ambassadors and high commissioners he has appointed to serve in foreign missions is stranded in the country.

Reports in a section of the media recently alleged that many of the envoys the President appointed some months ago were stranded at home, and were wondering when they would receive their letters of credence.

Swearing in six new envoys at the Flagstaff House yesterday, the President indicated that it was a tradition that when ambassadors were appointed, there was a waiting time for the receiving countries to give the agreemor – a diplomatic document showing the acceptance of the envoys – before they could take up their posts.

The six envoys are Mr Kenneth Emos Kofi Tachie for Libya; Mr Mahmoud Khalid, Mali; Mr Sylvanus Tettey Tamakloe, High Commissioner to Zimbabwe; Ms Akua Sena Dansua, Germany; Mr John Akologu Tia, Cuba, and Mr Anani Okuminyi Demuyakor, China.

Mr Mahama said as and when the agreemors came, all those appointed as envoys would be posted to their respective missions.

"It is a normal diplomatic practice and for some instances, it can take as long as six months," Mr Mahama said.

The President told the envoys not to work at advancing diplomatic relations alone but also to promote the interests of Ghana in countries where they had been assigned.

Expectations

Speaking about Libya, the President urged the new ambassador to Libya to continue to monitor the situation in that country and contribute to the peaceful resolution of its political crisis.

He said the government had taken a decision to temporarily move her diplomatic mission from Tripoli to Malta due to the disturbances in that country.

Touching on Mali, President Mahama said the crisis in that country was also a matter that should receive Mr Khalid’s attention.

Currently, Ghana has troops stationed in Mali on peace mission, and the President said the ambassador had a duty to contribute to the building of the peace process and also to ensure that the troops were well taken care of.

Mr Mahama also said Germany was one of the country's leading donor countries and also had a lot of investments in the country.

He, therefore, expressed the hope that Ms Dansua would work to further build on the relationship.

Responding on behalf of his colleagues, Mr Khalid thanked the President for the confidence reposed in them and gave an assurance that they would not disappoint him, the government and the country in the discharge of their duties.