President John Dramani Mahama has directed that the Presidential Inaugural ceremony scheduled for Monday, January 7, 2013 be given a national character.

Consequently the ceremonial streets and other principal streets in Accra would be draped in the red, yellow, green and black star national colours with remnants of billboards and symbols of political parties removed.

Mr James Agyenim- Boateng, a Deputy Minister of Information, said this on Thursday at a news conference held in Accra.

It was to inform the public on security and traffic issues as well as to update the media on activities towards the Presidential inaugural ceremony next week.

Mr Agyenim-Boateng who described the upcoming évent as the “single most important national event” said some 50,000 Ghanaians are expected to participate and added that other nationals are expected to attend.

He said so far 11 African Heads of State had confirmed their participation and 18 other foreign delegates had given a positive nod.

Earlier, Mr Fritz Baffuor, Minister of Information, said the inaugural ceremony would start at 1000 hours and giant television screens would be mounted at the Trade Fair Centre and Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle for public viewing.

He said Ghana Television (GTV) had been solely authorized to telecast the ceremony live and to give the other television stations the feed without charge.

Mr Baffour said the Information Services Department (ISD) and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation Radio news, which would be allowed at a demarcated inner zone, were expected to provide other media houses outside the perimeter with both pictures and voice transmission.

He said a page had been created on facebook, a social network, where the ISD would upload the pictures taken at the ceremony for use by other media houses and the general public free of charge.

The page is www.facebook.com/presidential/2013.

Mr Baffour advised the public and other media persons to comply with the security personnel to make the occasion memorable.