President back home from Mali

President John Mahama has returned home from Bamako, Mali where he attended the inauguration of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta.

Mr. Keita was elected in post-violence elections after Ghana and other African countries supported by France helped push back rebel forces.  

The inauguration took place at the national stadium in Bamako with more ten heads of state present.

Former AU President and Benin President Dr. Boni Yayi, ECOWAS Chairman and Ivorien leader Alhassane Ouattara, Togolese President Faure Gnassigbe, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, and their colleagues from Cape Verde, Tunisia, Morocco, Chad, Equitorial Guinea, Guinea Conakry, Congo Brazaville, Niger and Burkina Faso attended the historic event. Also present was the French President, Francois Hollande.

Many heads of state took the opportunity to hold discussions with President Mahama. Mr. Mahama also visited the Ghanaian contingent in Mali, met a section of the Ghanaian community in Mali and visited the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue in Bamako who has an imposing statue of Ghana's first President in a roundabout at the start of the Avenue.  

President Mahama was met on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport by the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho, who was sworn in Thursday morning to act as President in accordance with Article 60(12) of the Constitution.

Also at the airport were the Chief of Staff Prosper Bani, Defence Minister Mark Woyongo, National Security Coordinator Lt. Col. Larry Gbevlo-Lartey (Rtd.), the Chief of Defence Staff and the Inspector General of Police.


Credit: Presidency