A former Chief of Staff in the Administration of Ex-President Kufour, Kojo Mpiani has likened the new name of the seat of government to the a “court situation in which the Judge is in a quandary and is unable to pronounce the accused guilty or innocent”.
“I don’t understand the meaning of ‘Jubilee Flagstaff House’….there is a reason for naming it the Jubilee House. It has become of our history because if someone asks why Jubilee, it would be explained that is was built during the golden jubilee anniversary of this country,” he explained.
The Flagstaff House was reconstructed and inaugurated with the name Golden Jubilee House in November 2008 when construction was about 70% – 80% completed.
The original budget for the reconstruction was a $30m loan from the Indian government. However, the construction is reported to have cost as much as $45 to 50m.
In January 2009 the incoming government of President Mills moved the office of the President back to the Osu Castle and later changed the sign in front of the building back to its original name, claiming that the previous government had not used a Legislative Instrument to effect the change as required by law.
The Mills government was in turn criticized that the name Flagstaff House which was given to the building by the British Colonial government glorifies Ghana’s colonial past.
The re-construction of the building was heavily criticized by the opposition, National Democratic Congress (NDC), during the 2008 elections.
According to them, the money used should have been utilized in rural areas of Ghana which lack basic human requirements such as food and education. Other leading members of the party stated publicly to convert the Presidential Palace into a poultry farm, if the party is voted into office.
The Minister of Information Hon. Mahama Ayariga in an interview on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ programme with host, Kwami Sefa-Kayi, explained that it was done to forester national unity but Stanislov Dogbe a Presidential aid in the Mahama Administration, also stated in a response to numerous friends asking what is happening and why the name change, wrote on his facebook wall and it reads;
“Ok, Mawuli Fui Kwadzovia, James Kofi Afedo, Lix El Amegashie et al, there has been no change in the name of the Flagstaff House. Any such change would have reflected and communicated long ago.
“How this becomes a ‘national’ discussion with all kinds of people speaking to it as though it is the most important thing for this nation is amazing. But the fault is ours, and we accept it. Apologies to all.
“There was apparently a typo error in our Press Release template, which originated the discussions, and suggested erroneously that the name has been changed”.
In all these confusion, the opinion of the former Chief of Staff was sort in on the issue. He stated that he does not understand what is going on and would not want to speculate as to what motivated the name on government’s letterhead.
He therefore stated that; “what is setting the country back is the partisan politics we play with very important National issues. The various parties are holding onto entrenched positions and whatever the other does is seen as wrong or bad” and according to Mr. Mpiani, we would not move forward as a country, if we do not put a stop to this behavior though we should welcome criticisms.
Speaking on Asempa FM, he advised that; “government should be bold and explain to Ghanaians for them to understand why the change, if they really want to revert to the previous name”.