Renaming Flagstaff House diversionary tactic – NDC

The renaming of the seat of government from Flagstaff House to Jubilee House by president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is a “cheap diversionary tactic” from the unpopular ratification of the Ghana-US military cooporation agreement, the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said.

Nana Akufo-Addo renamed Flagstaff House to Jubilee House on the day he celebrated his 74th birthday – Thursday, 29 March 2018.

The NDC that named the seat of the presidency as Flagstaff House in a statement said the name change is nothing but a diversionary tactic by government to draw attention away from the defence deal it has signed with United States of America which has been widely criticised.

A statement signed by the party’s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia said: “Whereas there are many crucial issues of national importance begging for President Akufo-Addo's urgent attention.

“Whereas thousands of Ghanaians from all walks of life and different political persuasion protested in Accra yesterday in a mammoth put together by Ghana First Demonstration demanding that President Akufo-Addo stops the betrayal of Ghanaians and takes Ghana out of the infamous GHANA-US Military Cooperation Agreement.

“Whereas this renaming gimmick is intended to be a cheap diversionary tactic from the overwhelming demand from Ghanaians for President Akufo-Addo to stop mortgaging our sovereignty for a pittance.

“Whereas this failed diversionary tactic will not stop us from continuing our demand for a better renegotiated mutually acceptable and reciprocally respectful agreement with the United States of America, which remains a friendly nation.

“Whereas the NDC urges Ghanaians not to fall for this needless diversion and remain steadfast in the defence of our sovereignty and national dignity.

“Whereas in wishing President Akuffo-Addo a happy birthday - we expect him to know that this is not the birthday present Ghanaians deserve. Ghanaians look forward to the President re-assessing his priorities and begin listening to the cries of the very people who made him President.”

Meanwhile, below is the statement from the presidency about the name-change

Whereas in recognition and celebration of Ghana’s Golden Jubilee anniversary in 2007, a presidential palace was built to serve as the seat of the presidency by His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor, the second president of the fourth republic and its official name designated by him as Jubilee House;

Whereas prior to the construction of the Jubilee House, most of Ghana’s national leaders lived and worked at the Christiansburg Castle, Osu, built by the Danes in 1661 as a slave fort;

Whereas after Ghana became a republic in 1960, the first president of Ghana, His Excellency Dr Kwame Nkrumah, President of the first republic, moved into Flagstaff House and stayed there throughout his presidency;

Whereas Flagstaff House, until then, had been the residence not only of the colonial military officer commanding the West African Frontier Force in the four British West African colonies of Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and The Gambia, as was the case in other British colonies around the world, but also the residence of the commander of Ghana’s armed forces, immediately after independence;

Whereas, after the overthrow of the first republic on 24 February 1966, Flagstaff House was returned to the control of Ghana’s military, and Christiansburg Castle became, again, the seat of government;

Whereas Jubilee House is the first presidential palace, built in independent Ghana, to serve expressly as the seat of the president of Ghana;

Whereas Flagstaff House is a separate property located on the premises of Jubilee House;

Whereas there is no record evidencing the renaming of the seat of the presidency as Flagstaff House by His Excellency Prof John Evans Atta Mills, the third president of the fourth republic, in purported exercise of his executive authority; and

Whereas for historical and tourism purposes, Flagstaff House, which is situated on the premises of Jubilee House, should be preserved and commemorated as the residence of the first president of Ghana.

Now, therefore, in exercise of the power conferred on the president under Article 58 of the constitution, I, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, president of the republic, give notice that the seat of the president of Ghana shall, hereafter, be named, known and referred to as Jubilee House, and the property known as Flagstaff House, located on the premises of Jubilee House, shall be preserved and commemorated as such.

Given under my hand on this day, 29 of March 2018.