Director of Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces, Colonel M’bawine Atintande, has rejected claims that officers guarding the president on Thursday during the 57th independence anniversary let lose guard around their Commander-in-Chief when the rains poured.

According to him, not only was President John Dramani Mahama protected, but also invited dignitaries were given utmost security during the temporary halt of the programme during the downpour.

“The security of the president was not exposed,” Colonel Atintande stated on Friday, March 7 on TV3’s New Day.

He said frantic efforts were made to relocate the president and other dignitaries from the dais to the Independence Arch.

“If the president gets drenched for two, three minutes, there’s no problem with that,” he stated.

President Mahama braved the downpour to light the perpetual flame, representing freedom from colonial rule.

He was, however, whisked into the Arch, where he delivered his address.

“I will say this has been the most eventful independence celebrations we have ever had. In our tradition, when God brings down the rain, we call it showers of blessing,” President Mahama remarked in his address.

The president, however, called for climate adaptability measures in the phase of climate change.

“We did receive a storm warning from the Meteorological Services, but we received it this morning, a bit too late to put off this event. And so it means we must sharpen our abilities to predict how the climate and the weather would behave so that we can adapt to it.”