French Embassy must leave Presidential palace area.

A security expert, Dr. Kwesi Anning says the French Embassy must leave the flagstaff house area before the president moves into the new presidential palace.

He told Joy News that the presence of the Embassy posed a security threat to the state and presidency.

He was contributing to concerns raised by the ranking member on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior, Alhaji Abubakari Sumani.

Dr. Anning said given the proximity of the Embassy to the Palace, sensitive information relating to the country's security could be tapped.

He said sophisticated gadgets could be laid underground to tap information that could jeopardise the political and economic interest of the country.

Responding to the Embassy's comments that it had no plans to move now or even in the future, Dr. Anning said “I think it is quite disrespectful of the French Embassy to claim that they don not have any intention of moving today or tomorrow.

France cannot and must not think it can intimidate us”.

Dr. Anning said steps must be taken immediately to get the Embassy out of the area saying “it is imperative that they move much sooner than later”.

“Parliament has failed this country and certainly the government has failed the people of Ghana” he stated.

He said France and Ghana has an excellent relationship that must be respected and appreciated by both countries.

Alhaji Sumani who also the Member of Parliament for Tamale North, said it was not proper for a foreign mission to be so close to the president's official residence.

He said the Parliamentary Select Committee on Defence and Interior will put the issue before the House to ensure that urgent diplomatic moves were made to relocate the embassy.