Accra, Feb 25, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on

Friday inaugurated Mr Ken Kanda, immediate past Director of

State Protocol, as Ghana's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations. He administered the Oath of Office, Oath of Allegiance and

Oath of Secrecy to the Envoy and presented him with the

Scroll of Office. President Mills invoked divine blessing on the Ambassador

Designate for a successful duty tour. "Ken, let Good Lord direct your steps; and I believe at the

end of the day people will appreciate the sacrifices you have

made," President Mills said. The President expressed his appreciation to Mr Kanda for

his services to him and the nation, describing him as an

excellent ambassador and director. President Mills shared a joke before the beginning of the

ceremony, when Kwame Tenkorang- Asamoah, the immediate

past Ghana's Ambassador to Japan, who takes over from Mr

Kanda as Director of State Protocol, stood to introduce the

envoy. "This is a case of a doctor becoming a patient," President

Mills said, adding: 93I have been fortunate in life, and also in

politics to have worked with Mr Kanda." Mr Kanda, a career diplomat, took over from Mr Kwabena

Wudu as Director of State Protocol on the assumption of the

Mills Administration in 2009. Alhaji Mohammad Mumuni, Minister of Foreign Affairs,

described the Ambassador Designate as an excellent team-

player, with excellence as his trademark. He urged him to work to maintain Ghana's respectable

position at the UN. Alhaji Mumuni said maintaining the respectable position at

the UN would even be more challenging because Ghana had

carved a respectable high profile image for itself, and its human resource pedigree was still high at the

world body. He urged the Ambassador Designate to maintain the

enviable record and acquit himself creditably in his new

position. Mr Henry Martey Newman, Chief of Staff at the Office of

the President, who described Mr Kanda as humble centred

personality, urged him to reflect the President's whole leadership personality of selfless service. "May you live to espouse the ideals of the President and

keep the Ghana flag flying higher," Mr Newman said. Mr Kanda thanked President Mills for the opportunity to serve Ghana in the capacity as Director of State Protocol

and his new position. 25 Feb. 11

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