Presidential aide Dr Samuel Ayeh has responded after the Coalition of Unemployed Graduates with Disabilities declined to present its petition to him, insisting that it should be received by a higher-ranking government official.

Dr Ayeh, who said he was representing the President in receiving the petition, told the group that he respected its decision not to hand over the document to him.

“If you think that the President has sent me to receive a petition on his behalf and, in your opinion, I’m a nobody, and because of that you will not give me your petition, well, that’s the position you can have and I respect that,” Dr Ayeh said.

The Presidential aide was responding after representatives of the coalition indicated that they wanted their petition delivered to a senior-most government official rather than to him.

Dr Ayeh said he was himself a senior member of government at the Office of the President and was present on behalf of the President.

“Just as you have rightfully intimated, you are speaking on behalf of your colleagues, who have resolved that they wish the petition was delivered to a senior most government official,” he said.

“As I stand here, I'm also a senior member of the government at the office of the president and I'm standing in for the President."

Dr Ayeh further told the group that it could wait until it found an official whom its members considered appropriate to receive the petition.

“You can wait till a point in time where you think you’ve met the right person to deliver, you have that opportunity,” he said.

He also conveyed the President’s best wishes to the group.

“Let me convey the Presidents best wishes to you for the opportunity and for coming,” Dr Ayeh said.