Akufo-Addo to deliver State of the Nation Address on February 20

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will on Thursday, February 20, 2020 deliver to the Parliament of Ghana, a message on the State of the Nation.

This is in accordance with Article 67 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and the Standing Orders of the Parliament of Ghana.

Article 67 of the Constitution states that “The President shall, at the beginning of each Session of Parliament and before a dissolution of Parliament, deliver to Parliament a message on the State of the Nation”.

The Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, made the announcement when presenting the Explanatory Memorandum of the Business Statement for the first week ending Friday, January 31, 2020, to Members of Parliament on Tuesday, January 28, 2020.

“Mr. Speaker, the House would also receive His Excellency, the President of the Republic in February 2020, when he attends upon Parliament in accordance with Article 67 of the Constitution to deliver a Message on the State of the Nation”, he noted.

The State of the Nation (SONA) is an annual address to Parliament given by the President of the Republic of Ghana covering economic, security, social and financial state of the country among others.

SONA according to Wikipedia, was first implemented under the administration of the second President of the Fourth Republic of Ghana led by John Agyekum Kufour.

Records show that former President, John Agyekum Kufuor, was the first President to deliver the State of the Nation address in Ghana, hence, sticking rigidly to the letter of the constitution, which says the president should give a State of the Nation address at the beginning and close of every parliamentary session.