Osei-Adjei Weeps

Akwasi Osei-Adjei

Former Minister for Foreign Affairs, , has expressed grave sorrow over last Wednesday's firestorm that destroyed a good part of the 10-storey building that houses the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The ex-Minister's lamentations over the fire comes at a time some notables in government have casted insinuations that the firestorm was an arson that might have been masterminded by persons in the previous government, possibly including himself; Osei-Adjei.

Though a couple of tabloids, noted for singing the praise of government, have published stories to that effect, Osei-Adjei appeared unperturbed and has rather called on all Ghanaians, living both home and abroad, to say a word of prayer for the staff members of the burnt ministry, expressing gratitude to God that no lives were lost.

“As the immediate past Foreign Minister, I personally feel a deep sense of loss having worked in that building for six long years; both as deputy and substantive minister; my sincere sympathies to all my former colleagues.

“On behalf of my colleague former foreign ministers, I urge the government to put behind all differences at this juncture and form a broader cooperation to mobilise support for the relief and recovery efforts of this edifice of diplomacy; our drive to succeed as a nation should not be deterred by this unfortunate incident,” Osei-Adjei noted in press statement.

He said it is essential for government to take urgent measures in getting the ministry back into action as soon as possible, especially when it is a ministry that serves as a liaison between Ghana and other nations, and in his words, “houses several important documents, property and symbolises the blood and sweat of the people who have served this great country through the august institution of the Foreign Service, from the days of pre-independence.”

The statement also called for unity among all Ghanaians and for the nation to find ways of better equipping its fire service.

By Halifax Ansah-Addo