President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo explained in his 2023 May Day speech why Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia was missing the event for the first time since 2017.

He stated in the beginning of his speech that Bawumia remained in Accra to undertake an equally important task of welcoming a top dignitary in the person of the visiting Japanese Prime Minister.

"The vice President, who has always been present at May Day celebrations since 2017, has asked me to convey his apologies to you for not being able to make it today.

"He is welcoming the Prime Minister of one of Ghana’s most important partners, Japan, who is arriving this morning in Accra for a two-day official visit. He is the second Japanese Prime Minister ever to visit our country.

"God willing, next year, the Vice President will be with us again on May Day," the president said.

Bawumia welcomes Fumio Kishida to Ghana

Bawumia on May 1 welcomed the Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida, to Ghana for a two-day state visit.

The Japanese Prime Minister is expected to hold a bilateral talks with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House.

The Asian country seeks to deepen her strong economic ties and further promote business and investment relations in Ghana, being one of the leading economic centres in West Africa.

Japan has been supporting Ghana’s infrastructure development, especially roads, to improve the country’s transport connectivity.

The Asian country has high hopes for Ghana, which hosts the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), to play a critical role in promoting regional integration and trade facilitation.

The development of the bilateral relations cannot be discussed without acknowledging the achievements of Dr Hideyo Noguchi, a Japanese who had played a vital role in the healthcare sector of both countries.