A former chief of staff under the esrtwhile Kufuor Administration Kojo Mpiani has asked President John Mahama to move into his official residence at the Flagstaff House in Accra.
Kojo Mpiani believes there is no justification for the president to abandon his official residence.
President Mahama currently resides in the Vice President’s house.
Sources close to the Flagstaff House indicate that the President has refused to live there due to security reasons.
Some presidential advisors including National Security Advisor Brig-Gen. Joseph Nunoo-Mensah earlier kicked against the use of the facility, preferring the Head of State to use the Castle because of security threats.
But speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Mpiani maintained that the President should move into his residence since his[President Mahama’s] security was “taken into consideration in the design of the facility.”
He stated that the facility is ready to house the president.
“When the building was being constructed, there was so much criticism from the party of our President, but I believe we have moved on and I think we should forget about …I don’t see why the President has not moved into his residence. I don’t think security should be a problem,” he explained.
The House was rebuilt in 2008 to be used as the office and official residence of the president and his vice.
Though the late President John Mills refused to relocate to the Flag Staff and continued conducting his official duties in the Castle the House was renovated to make it habitable for President Mahama and his Vice , Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur.
President Mahama has however declined to use the same office, preferring to use his old vice-presidential office at the Castle since the death of President Mills.
By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana