The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Monday, July 10, 2017, announced his second batch of Ambassadorial postings at a ceremony at the Banquet Hall of the Jubilee House.

They are:

1. Mrs Salma Frances Mancell-Egala – Republic of Turkey
2. Mr. Paul Okoh – Arab Republic of Egypt
3. Mrs. Mercy Bampo Addo – Republic of Malta
4. Mr. Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa – Republic of Togo
5. Ms. Sophia Horner-Sam – The Netherlands
6. Ms. Amerley Ollennu Awua-Asamoa – The Kingdom of Denmark
7. Ms. Elizabeth Salamatu Forgor – Republic of Namibia
8. Gen. Francis Adu-Amanfoh – Republic of Mali
9. Mr. Joseph Kojo Akudibilah – Vatican
10. Mr. Joseph Ayikoi Otoo – Canada
11. Mr. Napoleon Abdulai – Republic of Cuba
12. Ms. Margaret Ekua Prah – Republic of Zambia
13. Ms. Esther Dzifa Ofori – Republic of Equatorial Guinea
14. Prof. Abena Pokua A. Busia – Federative Republic of Brazil
15. Ms. Paulina Patience Abagaye – Republic of Italy
16. Mr. George Ayisi-Boateng – Republic of South Africa
17. Naa Bolinaa Saaka – Burkina Faso
18. Mr. Mike Nii Nortey Oquaye jnr – Republic of India
19. Sheikh T.B Damba – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
20. Mr. William Azuma Awinador Kanyirigi – Federal Democratic of Ethiopia
21. Dr. Edward Nasigiri Mahama – Ambassador-at-large
22. Mr. Rasheed Seidu Inusah – Ambassador-at-large

Below is the speech delivered by the President:

Good evening, and let me welcome you to the seat of the Presidency of the Republic. I am here, tonight, to perform a pleasant, but very important duty. This is the second time, since assuming, by the grace of God and the generosity of the Ghanaian people, the high office of President of the Republic, that I have the honour of presenting credentials to persons appointed, in accordance with Article 74(1) of the Constitution, to safeguard and promote the image and interests of our nation outside these shores. The twenty-two men and women, who have received their letters of credence this evening, have been carefully chosen to become our Ambassadors and High Commissioners. They have distinguished themselves in their various fields of endeavour – politics, medicine, law, academia, chieftaincy, military, business, social work – and in the public service of our country. They are eminently fit to represent Ghana in their respective places of accreditation, which have expressed satisfaction at their appointments. I congratulate each one of you warmly on your well-deserved appointment.        

Ambassadors and High Commissioners, your roles are threefold – diplomatic, ceremonial and administrative. You must, however, bear in mind that, in all of these, you have the onerous responsibility of preserving and promoting the image of a country whose reputation amongst the comity of nations is high. You represent a country that, as a result of the commendable conduct of the Ghanaian people, is regarded as one of the most stable on the continent, which is a functioning democracy, governed by the rule of law, and respect for individual liberties, human rights and the principles of democratic accountability. We are regarded as a beacon of democracy in Africa, and, recently, in April, according to the reputable RMB Global Markets Research, the 4th best place to invest and do business in on the African continent. You are the most visible symbol of our country out there, and in all your actions you must guard jealously our country’s image. I am confident this is a charge you will uphold.

I was elected, in the elections of December 2016, because the Ghanaian people were dissatisfied with their living standards, and were not happy with the direction in which the economy and, indeed, the country was headed. One of our biggest challenges will be to fix the economy we inherited. They voted for us to fix the economy and put our country on the path of progress and prosperity. Indeed, we have begun to fix the economy.

As I indicated earlier this year at the World Bank Development Finance Forum, and have re-echoed on several occasions, government has made it a policy to seek more private sector equity financing for infrastructure projects, rather than the historic resort to borrowing and more borrowing that has resulted in the ballooning of our debt stock. This means that you have the responsibility to drive private sector investment into Ghana. You are the chief promoters of Ghana’s commercial interests to the respective countries to which you are going. Promoting Ghana means working closely with our Ministries and Agencies at home, whose role it is to generate investment in the country. Remember vividly the slogans of our flagship programmes, 1-District-1-Factory; 1-Village-1-Dam; Planting for Food and Jobs. They are descriptions of our commitment to the rapid development and transformation of the nation’s industrial and agricultural sectors. We are determined to create the appropriate macroeconomic environment which will attract domestic and foreign investment into these, the real sectors of our economy. You have to help in that exercise.

You must strive to develop cordial working relations with the professional Foreign Service officers you will find at your duty posts. They have invaluable experience and knowledge of the terrain, which should help you work effectively. You will need their assistance, and they will need your guidance and leadership. Mutual respect is the key to harmonious working relations. Again, your rapport with the Ghanaian communities in your respective countries will be vital to your prospects of success. They will be counting and looking up to you to champion not only our nation’s interests, but theirs as well. Do your best not to disappoint them.      

Ghana is on very good and cordial terms with all the countries to which you have been posted. Our bilateral relations span several decades, and our ties of co-operation remain strong. Your role is to deepen these even further, as well as explore other areas of effective co-operation, which will inure to the mutual benefit of our respective populations. In doing so, you will recall at all times our objective – to build a Ghana Beyond Aid, a Ghana which is self-reliant and exploiting its own resources, honestly, with hard work, enterprise and creativity, to build the free, prosperous Ghana of the dreams of the founding fathers of our nation.

I believe strongly that, in you, we have the men and women who can help to turn around quickly the fortunes of our country, and put her on the road to progress and prosperity. The Ghanaian people have placed their hopes for a better life on us. We cannot fail them. I am looking forward eagerly to working with you in the coming years so we can, together, realise their hopes and aspirations.

Once again, congratulations, and may God bless us all, and our homeland Ghana, and make her great and strong.