Foreign Minister says fire incident did not mar the celebrations

Accra, July 26, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Wednesday arrived in Accra from Monrovia, Liberia, where he was the Special Guest of honour at the 159th independence anniversary celebration of Liberia.

The President joined by the Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf switched on the Liberian Emergency Power Project built by the Volta River Authority (VRA).

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and NEPAD, who accompanied President Kufuor told reporters on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport that the fire outbreak at the Executive Mansion in Monrovia, when the power was switched on was a minor incident, which had no serious effect on the ceremony, adding, "no one got injured in the least".

He described the occasion as very successful, saying that the people of Liberia showed great delight at the new development.

Nana Akufo-Addo said the event symbolised the return of life to normalcy in Liberia after years of civil war that destroyed most utility services in that country.

When Mrs Johnson-Sirleaf was elected President in January 2006, she promised to restore electricity to Monrovia within six months.