The Chief of Staff, Frema Opare, in a statement signed on Friday, January 19, 2018, informed Ghanaians that Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia was on a sick leave in the United Kingdom on the advice of his doctors.

Mahamudu Bawumia was accompanied by the Second Lady, Samira Bawumia.

The decision to seek medical treatment from the UK instead of patronizing the services of Ghana’s skilled doctors sparked several controversies.

It was, however, unclear the illness that he was suffering from.

Read the full story originally published on January 20, 2018, on Ghanaweb

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has left the shores of Ghana to the United Kingdom on medical leave.

A statement signed by the Chief of Staff, Frema Opare said that Dr. Bawumia had to take the trip on the advice of his doctors and was accompanied by Second Lady, Samira Bawumia



The Presidency had promised to be forthcoming with medical information after it broke the news about Bawumia's medical status.

An earlier statement on social media pointing to the UK trip was described as fake.

In a disclaimer on his Facebook wall, Mr. Arhin indicated that the statement was purported and not authored by any official from the Presidency as was suggested.

"I have not authored or issued any statement stating that the Vice President travelled to the UK. It's fake. Thank you.", the post read.

Confirming this on Joynews' Newsfile, Mr. Arhin indicated that though an official statement was forwarded to specific persons and media houses through email Friday, this particular one being circulated as from the presidency in some news items is inaccurate.

"Any formal statement from the Flagstaff house is almost every single day sent by email…just like yesterday’s release which indicated that the Vice President had taken ill, that release was sent by the Flagstaff communications bureau email address so this statement flying about on WhatsApp definitely did not come from the Flagstaff House communications bureau, I’m sure it’s something someone just fabricated", he said.