Danso-Boafo Presents Credentials

Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen of England, Her Majesty , has urged Ghana to learn from the mistakes of other nations in the management of its oil revenue by putting in place enduring and transparent mechanisms.

She expressed concern over the chaos that characterised the social fabric of some countries across the world as a result of mismanagement and inequitable distribution of oil resources.

Queen Elizabeth made these observations when she received Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Prof. Kwaku Danso-Boafo, at the Buckingham Palace in London.

The High Commissioner was the guest of the Monarch when he presented to her, his letters of credence.

Prof. Danso-Boafo arrived in London in September 2009 to assume office as Ghana’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland.

This is the second time he is serving as an envoy. He had earlier served as Ghana’s ambassador to Cuba with concurrent accreditation to Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Nicaragua and Panama during ex-President Jerry Rawlings’s regime in 1997.

The English system demands that newly appointed ambassadors or high commissioners to the United Kingdom have audience with the Queen. This is a formal ceremony at which the envoy presents his or her Letters of Credence or Letters of Commission to Her Majesty.

Clad in a colourful Kente Professor Danso-Boafo, in the company of his wife and some senior officials from the mission, was escorted by the Marshall of the Diplomatic Corps, Mr David Gray from Belgrave Square to the Buckingham Palace in a procession of 1864 built carriages.

Her Majesty expressed confidence in the Ghanaian Government and expressed the hope that Ghana would continue to be a lodestar on the African continents especially in terms of its democratic governance and economic success.

She praised Professor John Evans Atta Mills for his exemplary leadership and commended Ghanaians for their unflinching adherence to the tenets of democracy.

Queen Elizabeth said she was encouraged by the formidable strides the country had made in its democratisation process through successful elections without recourse to violence.

On Ghanaians residing in the UK, the Queen singled out their law-abiding nature for praise and was grateful for their contribution to the development of the UK.

She emphasised that unlike other nationals in the UK, Ghanaians had not given the authorities any cause for concern, “and that is a very good sign”.

The Head of the Commonwealth praised the High Commissioner for his effort in helping to mobilise Ghanaians around the United Kingdom for welfare and consular activities, adding “not many missions have worked outside London”.

For his part, Professor Danso-Boafo expressed optimism that the oil revenue would be judiciously used to benefit the citizenry.

He told the Queen that a special committee to be supervised by the President would be set up to manage the oil revenue and that “prudent strategies have been put in place to help avoid the mistakes of other countries in terms of the managing and channelling of oil revenues”.

He recounted the lasting relationship between the two countries and pledged his commitment to work hard to further strengthen the bonds of co-operation.

In what seemed to be another invitation for the Queen to visit Ghana, Professor Danso-Boafo humorously said “with this vast knowledge about Ghana, I hope you will be there again soon”.

A reception to congratulate the High Commissioner was later held for the Ghanaian community, some Heads of Commonwealth missions in the UK and staff of the Mission.