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Government invites Rawlings to
Ghana@50 celebrations
Accra, Feb. 15, GNA - The government on Thursday sent a
delegation of eminent persons to inform former President
Jerry John Rawlings about Ghana@50 celebrations and to
formally invite him to the opening ceremonies of all
functions lined-up for the celebrations.
The delegation, led by Professor Daniel Adzei Bekoe,
Chairman of the Council of State, included three other
members of the Council as well as selected religious and
traditional leaders.
Those on the delegation were His Eminence Peter Cardinal
Appiah Turkson, Catholic Archbishop of Cape Coast, Sheikh
Nuhu Shaributu, Chief Imam, the Rev. Dr. Paul Fynn,
Moderator of the Lutheran Church, Madam Ama Busia, Mrs.
Cecilia Bannerman, Ms. Emma Mitchel and Prof. Miranda
Greenstreet.
Those with the former president at his residence to receive
the delegation were Professor John Evans Atta Mills, NDC
Flagbearer, Dr Kwabena Adjei, National Chairman of the
National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson
Asiedu-Nketiah, General Secretary of NDC, Mr Alban S. K.
Bagbin, Minority Leader in Parliament, Mr. Doe Ajaho, NDC-MP
and some leading members of the party.
After four-hours of meeting with the former President behind
closed doors, Prof. Bekoe told journalists that their
mission was to inform the former president of Ghana@50
activities and to give him an open invitation to all
activities during the celebration.
"We have handed over the invitation and it is our hope that
he would come to any of the functions he chooses to," he
said.
Prof. Bekoe said the meeting was also used to discuss a wide
range of issues during which the former president and
leading members of the NDC frankly and candidly raised
issues of concern to them.
"We listened to their concerns and we would report back to
the President," he said.
Mr. Bagbin also told journalists that they had some concerns
about the manner in which the invitation was extended to the
former president. They therefore told the delegation to
report back to President John Agyekum Kufuor for the proper
thing to be done.
He would, however, not say whether they were expecting a
different approach to determine whether or not the former
president would participate in any of the Ghana@50
activities.
Mr Bagbin also avoided the question on the exact concerns of
the former president by telling journalists that it was for
the presidential delegation to tell the press the concerns
of the former president and the NDC leaders.
GNA
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