The Minority in Parliament has called for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration building to be named after the late Kofi Annan.
While commending the government for the grace, solemnity and dignity with which the send-off for the Busumuru and former Nobel Prize Laureate has been organised, the Minority believes that renaming the Foreign Affairs building would mean that “that Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration will be located in Kofi Annan House just as the Office of the President is located in Jubilee House.”
A statement signed by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu and a ranking member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said though this development will be novel in the Ghanaian context, it is not new in international relations.
“It is our considered view that this exceptional diplomat who has earned unanimous international acclaim and brought so much honour to our great nation ought to be honoured with perhaps the foremost building apart from the Jubilee House that represents Ghanaian diplomacy.
We believe this important gesture, no matter how small, when compared to the towering impact of Kofi Annan on the global stage, will help immortalize his memory and inspire generations unborn to emulate his noble qualities,” the statement said.
Below is the full statement
As the nation pays her last respects to the memory of one of the greatest Ghanaian and African of all time, His Excellency Kofi Atta Annan - an iconic global statesman and international diplomat par excellence, the Minority Caucus in Parliament joins his family, Ghanaians home and abroad, the African people, the United Nations and the international community in bidding the former United Nations Secretary General farewell.
Though the mortal remains of Kofi Annan will be laid to rest tomorrow, it is our unwavering conviction that the torch he lit by projecting a refreshing leadership style that was thoughtful, deliberative and conciliatory coupled with the successes he chalked in advancing global peace and confronting the hydra-headed spectre of poverty, disease and inequality will continue to inspire generations all around the world.
The legacy of Kofi Annan is even more relevant in today’s world where bombastic populist rhetoric, the strong man syndrome, far right insurgency, isolationism and anti-immigration sentiments appear to be taking root in many parts of the world and thereby threatening global stability.
While we commend the Government, Chiefs and people of Ghana for the grace, solemnity and dignity with which the send-off for the Busumuru and former Nobel Prize Laureate has proceeded thus far, the Minority wishes to appeal to His Excellency President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to consider naming the building which houses Ghana’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration after the illustrious Kofi Annan.
If this appeal is acceded to, what it does mean is that Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration will be located in Kofi Annan House just as the Office of the President is located in Jubilee House.
Though this development will be novel in the Ghanaian context, it is not new in international relations.
The United States Department of State is located in the Harry S. Truman Building, the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation is housed in the Oliver Reginald K. Tambo Building, in Ireland; the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade can be found in Iveagh House, in Canada; the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade is housed in the Lester B. Pearson Building, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is located in the R.G. Casey Building, in Malaysia; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is housed in the Wisma Putra, while in Argentina; the Ceremonial Headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship can be found in the San Martin Palace.
It is our considered view that this exceptional diplomat who has earned unanimous international acclaim and brought so much honour to our great nation ought to be honoured with perhaps the foremost building apart from the Jubilee House that represents Ghanaian diplomacy.
We believe this important gesture, no matter how small, when compared to the towering impact of Kofi Annan on the global stage, will help immortalize his memory and inspire generations unborn to emulate his noble qualities.
As we prepare to say adieu tomorrow, may the Heavens grant his fine soul a well deserved eternal blissful rest.
Kofi Annan will live on in our hearts.
Signed,
Haruna Iddrisu
MP, Tamale North
[Minority Leader]
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa
MP, North Tongu
[Ranking Member, Foreign Affairs Committee]
Source: Graphic.com
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AND WHAT WILL THE OFFICE BE DOING? WE CANT NAME EVERY BODY PER OUR DEMANDS, OTHERWISE VERY SOON THERE WILL BE NO "GHANA" BUT RATHER A GIVEN NAME EG: KUFOUR AND CAPITAL WILL BE AGYEKUM. PLEASE LETS STOP THIS POLITICAL AND FACE SERVICE. WE WILL LIVE THIS WORLD SOMEDAY, SO LETS LIVE RIGHT AND HELP ONE ANOTHER.
Haruna, will you change the name if you come back to power like you did to the Jubilee House?
A stadia was named after Ohene Gyan, you guys changed it and now calling for a building to be named after who? NDC hypocrisy will kill you. I think Kofi Annan is bigger than foreign affairs building.
Mr Haruna, you can not think for the Government.
Hasn't he done that in his life time? What Kofi Annan peacekeeping center doing. Attention seekers. Incompetence has washed Ndc from government to opposition
No building or structure will named after anybody . What we have to be doing as a country is to apply the principles that Kofi Annan applied while he was leading the UN . There is no need naming a building after him and putting people in there to steal public money or plan to destroy the Auditor General who is single handedly protecting the interest of the public . People are trying to destroy the Auditor General and have their way to steal public funds but that wont happen .
I think this is a good call.
This is cheap, I have never seen any ministry building being named after anybody. A ministry building being named after Kofi Annan, NDC come again and grow up. Find a better monument to be named after the global icon not a ministry building. Cheap, cheap, cheap propaganda.
Attention seekers