The office of former President Kufuor has challenged claims by the National Security Coordinator, Col Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, that moving the presidency to the presidential palace would pose serious security threats to the president. Col Gbevlo-Lartey had in an interview with Joy News criticised ex-president John Kufuor for failing to do proper security checks and consultations before building the Golden Jubilee House, now Flagstaff House. But Mr Frank Agyekum, the spokesperson for former President Kufuor told Dzifa Bampoh on Top Story the assertions were unfounded, insisting the place is fit for any president to operate from. “We took into consideration a whole lot of reasons, and we believe it was very good for us to have the house there…it is not as if somebody just got up and put a building there without taking care of the security concerns.” He stressed that the much feared communication intersection from the French Embassy which is close to the site among other concerns were “taken care of” before the ruling party came to power in 2009. He recollected that the Embassy had been there since the reigns of Ghana’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, and could hardly see the serious security threat being portrayed. The over $70 million edifice housed Mr Kufuor in the last days of his administration. However, his predecessor refused to work from there, citing various security reasons, and therefore leaving the structure extensively underutilized. It is currently the temporary abode of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, albeit, President Mills occasionally transacts government business there. Whilst in opposition, the current government criticised the construction of the palace saying it was not financially prudent in the midst of, what they claimed was, an ailing-economy. But Frank Agyekum suspects, the government’s stance might be a face-saving tactics. “I am sure if it had been located in a fortress, people would have raised issues why it was located in a fortress.” When asked how former President Kufuor feels about the state of Flagstaff House, he remarked: “obviously, he would have wished that the place was being used because that was the reason why this place was built.” He also chided the government for being “selective” in the use of the edifice. Nevertheless, a security analyst Dr Kwesi Aning has pointed out that there are some serious security lapses, which ought to be sorted out before the president moves in. He stated that the security of a president is something that should not be toyed with and charged the national security apparatus to fast track the necessary processes to enable the president to relocate there. “The protection of the president and the presidency is of crucial importance to the dignity and security of any nation.” He also insisted that the French Embassy, though has agreed to move to another location, it should be done “as quickly as possible”, adding that “so far as the French Embassy is there, the president cannot move in”. “Living in there is part of the identity of Ghana and its part of the identity of our democracy.” He also put on record that the Kufuor-administration was given security advice on the building but “not all were accepted”.