Rawlings Was Not Invited To Kofi Annan's Banquet - Smith

The office of the former President has denied having ever received any official invitation to attend the State Banquet, organized last week in honour of Mr Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations.

A statement signed by the Special Assistant to the former President, Mr Victor Smith said the impression being created to the public that the former first family to attend the programme even though, they were invited was not only incorrect but also pregnant with mischief. Mr Smith was reacting to statements reportedly made by the Special Assistant to the Minister of Information, Mr Ferdinand Ayim, on GTV’s Breakfast Show, to the effect that the former first family was officially invited to the banquet.

According to him, the last time the former President was invited to a state banquet was when President Laurent Gbagbo of Cote d’Ivoire visited Ghana in the second quarter of 2001. He said ever since, no invitations had been extended to the former President to attend the banquet of any visiting dignitary. He said after that occasion, spokespersons of the government sought to create an unfortunate impression that ex-President Rawlings deliberately upstaged President J.A. Kufour.

He hoped the response from his outfit would set the records straight and correct the erroneous impression. He said that the former President has no reason whatsoever, to refuse to attend any state functions he has been invited to once his schedules permit him to.