Ghana’s parliament will be the venue for the swearing-in of President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo instead of the regular Black Star Square, the government has announced.

A deputy government spokesperson, Pius Enam Hadzide said the decision is based on a request made by the leadership of Parliament.

He stated that all COVID-19 safety protocols will be strictly enforced at the new location which will host several dignitaries across the world.

“On the 3rd day of November 2020 when President Akufo-Addo commissioned the office facilities under the physical infrastructure projects of Parliament in Parliament House, Accra, parliament made a passionate representation to him that the nation at large that they want subsequent swearing-in of presidents of the republic to happen in parliament and before parliament by Ghanaian laws and international best practices.”

“The transition team has favourably considered the request of the Parliament of Ghana stated by Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu [Majority Leader] and has hence decided that the swearing-in of President Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo on the 7th of January 2021 shall happen before parliament and with the precincts of parliament,” Mr Hadzide said at a press briefing.

The deputy minister said the transition team is working closely with the leadership of parliament to ensure that the inauguration is successfully held.

The Majority Leader in November said Parliament has resolved to discontinue the practice of swearing in newly elected Presidents at the Black Star Square instead of Parliament.

The constitution stipulates that a newly elected President should be sworn in before Parliament, however, by convention, all newly elected Presidents except the first term of President John Agyekum Kufour have been sworn in at the Independence Square.

“The House has decided that the President-elect must follow the rules, subject to security considerations, be sworn-in in the presence of Parliament, before parliament and in parliament. The parliament of Ghana is proposing that the swearing-in of the president-elect should be done in the present precincts of parliament as it happened during the first inauguration of President Agyekum Kufuor.”