Jubilee House is the presidential palace located in Accra, serving as both the residence and office for the President of Ghana. This prominent building was constructed on the site of a structure that was utilised for administrative purposes by the British Gold Coast Government.

The previous seat of government was Osu Castle.

In November 2008, President John Agyekum Kufuor inaugurated the palace, naming it Golden Jubilee House to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Ghana's independence. The building has since reverted to its original name, Jubilee House. It was formerly known as The Flagstaff House.

History

Originally named The Flagstaff House, it underwent reconstruction and was inaugurated by President Kufuor in November 2008 when construction was approximately 70% to 80% complete.

However, in January 2009, the new government under President John Atta Mills relocated the presidential office back to Osu Castle and reverted the name to Flagstaff House, arguing that the previous government had not followed the legislative process for the name change as required by law.

The Mills government faced criticism for the name Flagstaff House, which had historical ties to the British Gold Coast era, evoking sentiments of the colonial past.

In January 2013, John Dramani Mahama, the following president, moved the seat of government back to Flagstaff House.

It is a major historical landmark built to commemorate Ghana's 50th independence anniversary (Golden Jubilee) and stands on a site with significant colonial and post-independence administrative history.

Construction Cost

The initial budget for the reconstruction was $30 million, funded by a grant from the Indian government.

However, journalist David Amanor reported that the total cost of construction may have escalated to between $45 million and $50 million. The construction was supervised by an Indian contractor working alongside Ghanaian sub-contractors.

Existence

As of March 2026, the current Jubilee House has been in existence for approximately 17 years and 4 months.

Re-construction

The reconstruction of the presidential palace by President Kufuor, a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), faced criticism from the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) during the 2008 elections.

After assuming office on January 7, 2009, the NDC government chose not to utilise Flagstaff House, opting instead for Osu Castle as the seat of government. Subsequently, Flagstaff House was temporarily allocated as offices for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Notable Events

• On February 24, 1966, soldiers stormed Flagstaff House during a military coup that ousted Ghana's First President, Kwame Nkrumah, in an event supported by the CIA.

• In 2002, thousands of Liberian women, led by Leymah Gbowee, staged a silent protest outside the former presidential palace in Accra, demanding a resolution to Liberia's civil war. Their efforts contributed to a peace agreement that ended a 14-year conflict, a story documented in the 2008 film "Pray the Devil Back to Hell."

• On January 4, 2017, President John Dramani Mahama took President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo on a tour of Jubilee House.

• On July 26, 2017, Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, the President of Malta, along with her spouse, Edgar Preca, visited Jubilee House.

• On April 6, 2018, George M. Weah, the President of Liberia, paid a visit to Jubilee House.

• On October 22, 2018, Brigadier (Rtd.) Julius Maada Bio, the President of Sierra Leone, visited the palace.

• On November 2, 2018, Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, toured the Jubilee House.

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