President of La Cote d’Ivoire Alassane Dramane Ouattara will be Special Guest of Honour at Saturday’s ceremony to confirm Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as President of Ghana.
The Ivorian leader, 74, will be one of several heads of state from the sub-region to attend the investiture, to be held at the Black Star Square.
The ceremony will see Nana Akufo-Addo swear the presidential oath – to be administered by Chief Justice Georgina Wood – in the presence of the Seventh Parliament of the Fourth Republic.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday, January 3, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, who is the Co-Chair of the Inaugurations Sub-Committee of the Transition Team, said 11 heads of state including President Ouattara have confirmed attendance to the event.
The Chair of sub-regional bloc Ecowas, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who is also President of Liberia, will also be in attendance.
Others include President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, Alpha Condé of Guinea and Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea.
Prime Ministers of Ethiopia and Mauritius will also be present while a number of vice presidents including Zambia’s will also make it for the ceremony.
A number of former heads of state are also expected to attend the ceremony with the US and the UK sending high-powered delegations.
“They will be met at the airport and chaperoned to the event,” Ms Botchwey said of dignitaries who will arrive on Saturday for the event.
She pointed out that a clearer picture of the other world leaders to make it to the event will be known by Friday.
By Emmanuel Kwame Amoh|3news.com|Ghana