The President of the Republic and Chairperson of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, left Ghana on Sunday, 13th December 2020, for Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea.
President Akufo-Addo is, on Monday, 14th December, attending the swearing-in ceremony of His Excellency Alassane Ouattara, President-elect of Cote d’Ivoire, in Abidjan, and will, on Tuesday, 14th December 2020, attend the swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect of the Republic of Guinea, His Excellency Professor Alpha Condé.
The President will from 15th December be in London for a private visit.
He is accompanied by the First Lady, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, MP, and officials of the Presidency and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
President Akufo-Addo will return to Ghana on Monday, 21st December 2020. In his absence, the Vice President, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, will, in accordance with Article 60(8) of the Constitution, act in his stead.
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has, by Executive Instrument, declared Monday, 7th December 2020, as a public holiday. This is to facilitate the conduct of the election in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, help ensure strict observance of COVID-19 safety protocols on election day, and enable registered voters exercise their franchise in safety and with minimal inconvenience.
This decision was taken following the submission of a proposal to the President by the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Jean Mensa, a proposal which is supported by the Inter Party Advisory Committee (IPAC), for Monday, 7th December, to be declared as a public holiday to permit the safe exercise of the franchise, in the context of the pandemic.
Under section 3 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act, 2001 (Act 601), the President has the power to declare any other day as a public holiday, instead of a day specified as a statutory public holiday.
Thus, with Farmers Day having been celebrated on Friday, 6th November 2020, the President is satisfied that it will be inexpedient for Friday, 4th December 2020, which is a statutory public holiday, to be observed as a public holiday. As such, Friday, 4th December 2020, will not be observed as a holiday.
Eugene Arhin
Director of Communications
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