General News of Friday, 26 February 2016

Source: starrfmonline.com

SONA: Gov’t snubbed Akufo-Addo - Aide

Nana Akufo-Addo Nana Akufo-Addo

The office of the New Patriotic Party flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo has revealed that state protocol did not invite the former attorney general for this year’s State of the Nation address.

According to the press secretary of Akufo-Addo, Eugene Arhin, neither parliament nor state protocol extended an invitation to them.

President John Mahama on Thursday delivered his last state of the nation address in parliament.

It has been the practice over the years for all diplomats and dignitaries in the country to be invited for the ceremony which is held in parliament. All presidential candidates of political parties in the country have, since time immemorial, received invitation to the address.

Speaking to Kasapa FM Friday, Arhin said although Akufo-Addo and his vice presidential candidate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia were willing to attend the ceremony, they did not want to gatecrash.

“Often during ceremonies like this, we would receive an invite from parliament or state protocol but in this instance, neither did we hear from the state protocol nor parliament and so there was nothing we could do. Akufo-Addo as a patriotic citizen was willing and ready to attend the event,” he said.