On Wednesday, June 14, 2023, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo presented letters of accreditation to five new envoys during a brief ceremony at the Jubilee House in Accra.
Appointed in accordance with Article 74 (1) of the constitution, all six individuals, according to the President, are Career Diplomats who have attained the pinnacle of their careers and have been selected to serve as High Commissioners and Ambassadors-designate.
They are H.E. Ms. Doris Adzo Denyo Brese, Ambassador to the Czech Republic, H.E. Mr. Mohammed Habib Idris, Ambassador to Kuwait, H.E. Mr. Kingsford Amoako, Ambassador to Liberia, H.E. Mr. Mark Michael Entsie, Ambassador to Libya, and H.E. Mr. Alex Owiredu Adu, Ambassador to Niger.
The President stated that these envoys "have distinguished themselves in the public service of our nation and are eminently qualified to represent Ghana in their respective accreditation locations."
"I am compelled to separate out the High Commissioner designate to the Commonwealth Dominion of Australia for special mention. Mr Samuel Yao Kumah. He held the position of Director of State Protocol at the Presidency until today. Three years ago, when he assumed this role, he has been by my side. During this period, he has demonstrated dedication, competence, diligence, honesty, humility, and integrity," he acknowledged.
In addition, "his decades of service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he once served as Chief of Protocol, have been rewarded with the highest available position at the Ministry."
Referring to the necessity of their appointments at this time, President Akufo-Addo stated, "In 2021, the government launched the Ghana Cares Obaatanpa program, which paves the way for the economic revitalization of Ghana."
The main components of this program, he continued, are supporting commercial farms and attracting educated youth into commercial farming, building the country's light manufacturing sector, developing and engineering machine tools, and ICT digital economy industries, accelerating digitalisation, developing Ghana's housing and construction industry, and establishing Ghana as a regional hub.
He added that reviewing and optimizing the implementation of government flagship and e-programs, creating jobs for young people, and expanding opportunities for the most vulnerable members of society, such as those with physical disabilities, are also critical areas.
With these as the foundation of his second term, he urged them to "familiarize themselves with the aforementioned objectives, as they represent one of the surest ways out of the crisis confronting the nation and will put Ghana on the path of rapid progress and prosperity, buoyed on by the ongoing transformation of the restructured Ghanaian economy." Each of you must contribute to the success of this program by facilitating as much foreign investment into the country as possible, among other things."
Regarding their work at the multilateral level, the President urged the new envoys to assist in the prosecution of the country's common agenda in the fight against the scourge of armed conflicts, terrorism, and violent extremism, the threats of climate change, and the illicit outflow of funds from Africa, while promoting the image of Ghana, whose reputation among the Committee of Nations continues to grow.
"As a consequence of the exemplary behavior of the Ghanaian people, your nation is regarded as one of the most stable on the African Continent. It has a functioning democracy based on respect for the rule of law, individual liberties, and human rights, as well as democratic accountability principles based on the separation of powers. In Africa, we are regarded as a beacon of democracy. You are the most visible symbol of our nation in the world, and in all your actions you must zealously protect our nation's reputation. I am confident that you will uphold this obligation," he advised.
President Akufo-Addo concluded by stating, "Ghana is on excellent terms with all countries to which you have been assigned, our bilateral simulation spans decades, and our corporate ties remain strong. Your role is to deepen these relationships further and investigate new areas of effective corporations, which will benefit both of our populations."