The US Embassy in Ghana says the $48,000 gold wristwatch given to the US First Lady as a gift neither came from the Government of Ghana nor from Ghana’s First Lady.
Information Officer at the US Embassy Ben East confirmed to Citi News that the 18-karat gold Backes & Strauss wristwatch was given to Michelle Obama when she accompanied President Obama on his first visit to Ghana in July 2009.
Mr East could however not disclose the giver of the gift but categorically denied it came from the Government of Ghana or Ghana’s First Lady.
He told Citi News the source of the gift could only be disclosed after the US Federal Register has corrected an error committed in registering it. Information about the gift was published in the White House Federal Register.
News of the gift was first broken by Yahoo News and culled by other international news wires such as the AFP.
The customized wristwatch has the “Black Star of Ghana” “crafted in 18 karat gold with diamonds and leather.”
The Government of Ghana, through the Communications Director at the Presidency has admitted in an interview with Citi News that the gift was given to the First Lady of America Backes and Strauss through the Protocol of the Ghanaian government.
On Thursday January 20, when the story first broke, the Presidency issued a statement in which it said “Mrs. Ernestina Naadu Mills did NOT present Mrs. Obama with a Backes & Strauss wristwatch valued at $48,000, when the Obama Family paid a state visit to Ghana in the second week of July 2009.”
However, contrary to the Government’s statement, Citi News dug out an official statement from the website of UK’s Backes and Strauss, the producers of the said wrist watch, which appears to be telling an entirely different story. www.backesandstrauss.com/downloads/Backes-&-Strauss-Michelle-Obama-watch.pdf
Dated in London on September 16, 2009, the statement said:
“On Saturday 11th July Mrs Ernestina Mills The First Lady of Ghana presented The First Lady of The United States Michelle Obama with The Star of Ghana to commemorate and celebrate the first visit to The Republic of Ghana by The President of The United States of America, President Barack Obama and The First Lady.”
The statement gave details of the wrist watch including technical information on the masterpiece.