Director of State Protocol didn't reach for handshake at NGA meeting in Washington – Presidency

The Office of the President has dismissed media reports suggesting that the Director of State Protocol, Ambassador Ahmed Hassan breached protocol when he mounted the podium with President Nana Akufo-Addo at the National Governors Association 2018 Winter Meeting in Washington DC, USA last Sunday.

A video circulating on social media shows Ambassador Hassan leading the way when the President was called by Governor Brian Sandoval of Neveda to deliver the keynote address.

In the video, Ambassador Hassan is seen stretching his arm to the Governor and was seemingly ignored; but a statement signed by the assistant to the Director of State Protocol at the Presidency, Joseph Adjei-Banin and released Tuesday explained that Ambassador Hassan was on the stage to show the President his seat.

“Our attention has been drawn to a video circulating on social media purporting that the Director of State Protocol, Ambassador Ahmed Hassan, was denied a handshake by Governor Brian Sandoval of Nevada, and further that Governor Sandoval instructed Ambassador Hassan to resume his seat in the audience, at the National Governors Association Winter Meeting over the weekend.

“The suggestions and interpretations given to this video is misleading and completely false. As part of the protocol discussions prior to the President’s speech, it was agreed that Ambassador Hassan will accompany the President on stage to show the President his seat. That is exactly what Ambassador Hassan was doing and not reaching for a handshake. A critical look at the video will show that Ambassador Hassan was pointing to the seat where the President was supposed to sit” the statement explained.

According to the statement, “After the President shook the hands of Governor Sandoval, there was a debate as to whether the President should sit or go straight away to deliver his keynote address. What ensued was Governor Sandoval pointing to the podium for the President to deliver the speech because they were running behind schedule whilst Ambassador pointed to the seat of the President because that was the agreement at the pre-event protocol discussion. The Governor was not directing Ambassador Hassan to resume his seat.”

The Office of the President is therefore urging the public to disregard the “false suggestion being peddled as a result of a skewed interpretation of what transpired in the video”, adding that Ambassador Hassan is a well accomplished and meticulous diplomat, who is well versed in protocol.