Ghana president making official visit to Barbados

President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, will pay an official visit to Barbados from Friday through Saturday.

Akufo-Addo and his delegation will arrive at the Grantley Adams International Airport tomorrow morning, where they will receive a red carpet welcome and a 21 Gun Salute. The National Anthem of Ghana will be played by the Barbados Defence Force Band.

The president will be greeted by Prime Minister Mia Mottley; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Jerome Walcott; Minister of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology, Senator Kay McConney; and other government officials.

Barbados will be the final country on the Ghanaian president’s Caribbean tour, during which he visited Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The purpose of the official visit is to strengthen and deepen relations between Barbados and Ghana in areas of mutual interest.

While on the island, he will hold bilateral talks with Mottley and several ministers. He will also meet with officials from The University of the West Indies. A joint press conference between the president and the Prime Minister will be held following these meetings.

In the evening, Akufo-Addo will pay a courtesy call on Governor General Dame Sandra Mason at Government House.

Following the courtesy call, he will address Parliament, in what will be an historic occasion as this will be the first time a foreign dignitary will speak in the Senate Chambers. He will then attend a reception hosted by the president of the Senate and the speaker of the House of Assembly at Parliament.

While on island, he will also meet with the Ghanaian community.

Barbados and Ghana established diplomatic relations in August 1994. (PR/SAT)