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Significance of the Star and Eagles of
Ghana award explained
Accra, July 3, Ghanadot/GNA- President
John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday, defended the creation of
the “Grand Order of the Star and Eagles of Ghana” to honour
Ghanaian Heads of State, as a legitimate necessity.
“I wish to observe that the law establishing the Award of
national honours did not provide specifically for an Order
for the Head of State, which is the highest office of the
land.”
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President Kufuor was speaking at this year’s National
Honours Awards in Accra on the theme: “Branding Ghana for a
Prosperous Future.”
“Today, I wish to announce that by the powers vested in me
by the Constitution as President and Head of State of the
Republic, and after wide consultation, I have instituted a
new Order solely for Presidents of the Republic.
President Kufuor who was the maiden recipient of the award
said henceforth: “Every new President will be given the
collar of the Order as he or she is sworn into office, to be
worn on all formal national occasions.”
He said on successful completion of a term
of office, a President would be |
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President Kufuor
dressed in the "Grand Order of the Star and Eagles "
medal |
presented with a replica
of the collar, if he or she so desires.
“This is the rationale governing my decision to institute
the Order of the Star and Eagles of Ghana as the top of all
the State awards created since 1960. The Order will be
conferred on the President by the Chief Justice.”
President Kufuor said failure of past Heads of State to
honour some deserving Ghanaians had created a huge backlog
of people whose distinguished services should have been
recognised.
“Over the past three years, I have deemed it imperative to
try to correct this anomaly around the annual celebration of
the Republic Day.
The 244 award winners comprising Vice President Alhaji Aliu
Member received various honours including: “Order of the
Star of Ghana,” “Order of the Volta- Companion,” “Order of
the Volta-Officer,” and the Order of the Volta-Member.”
President Kufuor said the honours were instituted by the
first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, when Ghana
attained Republican status on July 1, 1960.
President Kufuor stressed: “Over the years, subsequent
leaders have implemented the honours very sparingly.”
Turning his attention to the award winners, he asked them to
be champions of peace and reconciliation in order to sustain
the steady momentum of national development towards the
prosperous future that beckons all Ghanaians.
GNA
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