The errors in Ghana’s 59^th Independence Anniversary brochure were avoidable, President John Dramani Mahama has said.

Speaking on Accra-based 3FM Monday, the President said, “I would have thought that the chairman of the anniversary committee should have been consulted”, when the mistakes were identified in the brochure.

Ghana’s 59^th Independence Day celebration was marred by some embarrassing mistakes in the anniversary brochure.

 

Among the numerous errors in the brochure is a designation of the Kenyan President, Uhuru Kenyatta, as President of the Republic of Ghana, as well as other numerous spelling and grammatical mistakes.

Uhuru Kenyatta and Jose Mario Vaz of Guinea-Bissau joined President Mahama at the Black Star Square, in Accra on March 6 for the celebration.

President John Mahama shaking hands with the President of Guinea-Bissau, Jose Mario Vaz

Acting Director, of the Information Service Department, Francis Kwarteng Arthur who took full responsibility for the misrepresentations in the brochure and apologized has since been fired.

Mr Kwarteng explained that he noticed the mistakes on the morning of the event, but decided that the brochures be distributed despite the unpardonable errors they contained.

The incident has also caused the restructuring of government’s communication team as the Ministry of Communication has assumed responsibility for the Flagstaff House Communications Bureau

Although the errors have made the country a subject of international ridicule President Mahama said the Independence Day celebration was beautiful and it shouldn’t have been marred by the “printer’s devil.”

He indicated that President Uhuru Kenyatta did not notice the errors and liked the brochure.

President Mahama stated that the decision by the Chief of staff to reshuffle the communication team of the presidency is to ensure that the unfortunate incident does not recur.