Flagstaff House name must be Maintained – Kweku Baako

Veteran Journalist and Editor-in-Chief of the New Crsading Guide Newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has advised President-Elect Nana Akufo Addo, to keep the Flagstaff House name of the seat of government when he assumes power after January 7, 2017.

Former President John Kufour with support from the Indian government put up the over-$70-million edifice and named it ‘’Golden Jubilee House’’ to commemorate the country’s attainment of 50 years as an independent State. 

However, the NDC under late President Mills soon as it assumed power in 2013 re-named it the “Flagstaff House.”

That action by the Mills-led administration was roundly condemned and was
much to the displeasure of a section of the public especially members and sympathizes of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The NPP for its eight years of being in opposition and its then NPP Flagbearer and now President-elect, Nana Akufo Addo has consistently referred to the seat of government as the Jubilee House even though the name has officially been changed.

This has led to a section of the public envisaging a possible reversal of the name of the seat of government back to the Jubilee House soon after President-elect Akufo Addo takes over the reigns of power.

However commenting on the matter on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo show Wednesday, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako urged Nana Akufo Addo to maintain the status quo.

“I protested when the NDC changed the name from Jubilee House to Flagstaff House, but there was an explanation that it was for purposes of nostalgia…back to Nkrumah and I reminded them that Flagstaff House was not built by Nkrumah and that it was a colonial legacy, somehow Nkrumah decided to retain it. I wasn’t comfortable with the change from Jubilee House to Flagstaff House, but if I were Nana Akufo Addo, I will not change it back to Jubilee House…I’ll leave it alone.”

He added: “But the NDC was so unfair, the name Jubilee was not to personalise anything, but to show our 50th anniversary as a nation post independence, so that was more nationalistic which the NDC should’ve maintained. But they came into power and played petty politics…they changed Ohene Gyan Sports Stadium to Accra Sports Stadium. Ohene Gyan was such a great Ghanaian but the NDC ochestrated some Ga-Dangme agitation and eventually got Ohene Gyan’s name removed from the stadium…these NDC people have caused trouble in Ghana.”