By Iddi Yire, GNA
Accra, Sept 5,
GNA – Mrs Mary Chinery-Hesse, the Chancellor of the University of Ghana, has
lauded the decision of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training
Centre’s (KAIPTC) to erect a statue in honour of the late Mr Kofi Annan, a
former United Nations Secretary-General.
She gave the
commendation in an interview with the Ghana News Agency on the sideline of the
sod-cutting ceremony by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the
construction of a statue in memory of the late Mr Annan at the KAIPTC in Accra.
“This is a
special day for a person like myself, so intimately involved in the life of
Kofi Annan, and seeing him become the person he has become by the monuments.
“It is
good to lead a good life, because then you are recognised forever,” she said.
Mrs Mary
Chinery-Hesse, who is also the Chairperson of the KAIPTC’s “Goodwill
Ambassador” said: “More also, this statue has immortalised Kofi Annan and
what he stood for, his principles and advocacy for peace and stability in our
world, Africa, West Africa and Ghana.”
The statue,
which will be constructed by Stone Depot, a Ghanaian company will take six
months to complete.
The design of
the statue is unique in itself as it portrayed the gentle, quiet and
soft-spoken subject Mr Annan in one of his many poses.
The statue to
be erected will show Mr Annan in a mobile pose with a simple gesture to signify
the subject’s continuous desire for world peace.
The statue will
portray Mr Annan as an astute gentleman, a peace diplomat and a global icon.
The 20-feet
height was chosen to achieve the purpose of a towering statue at the entrance
of the KAIPTC, and strategically placed close to the boundary fence and the
road, for all to see and appreciate Ghana‘s international Peace Diplomat on a
Giant scale.
The Statue will
be produced in grey ornamental stone marble known as Sierra Elvira.
This type of
marble stone is original, hardwearing, durable, water resistant and has no
weather coloration.
It will measure
18 feet with a pedestal of two-feet totalling 20 foot tall and has a width of
six feet, a thickness of five feet and weighs 21 tons.
Among the
dignitaries who graced the sod-cutting were former President Pierre Buyoya of
Burundi and African Union High Representative to Mali and Sahel (MISAHEL).
Others were;
Madam Catharine Samba-Panza, former President of Central African Republic; Mr
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, former President of Somalia; Dr Ernest Bai Koroma,
former President of Sierra Leone; and Professor Amos Claudius Sawyer, former
President of Liberia.
The rest were;
Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and
Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) and Mr
Dominic Nitiwul, Minister of Defence.
The sod-cutting
event formed part of the Kofi Annan Peace and Security (KAPS) Forum this year
in Accra (4 -5 September), which is the Centre’s flagship annual event designed
to bring together political leaders, diplomats and experts to dialogue and
share ideas on the most critical evolving peace and security trends on the
African continent.
The forum is on
the theme “Peace Operations in the Context of Violent Extremism in
Africa.”
The forum also
seeks to deepen the collaboration between KAIPTC and international
organisations such as the United Nations, African Union, Regional Economic
Communities, Governments, development partners, civil society organisations and
the business community.
GNA
