President Nana Akufo-Addo ordered flags at the Jubilee House and other state buildings to be lowered to half-mast Friday (9 September) as a mark of respect for Britain’s late Queen Elizabeth II.
All Ghana flags will be lowered for seven days, Nana Akufo-Addo said in a tribute to the Queen.
Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, died at Balmoral aged 96 on Thursday, after reigning for 70 years.
“She was a cherished and revered monarch of the British people, the longest-serving in their history, who will be sorely missed. We are saddened by her departure. In honour of her memory, I have directed that all official flags in the nation fly at half-mast for seven days,” Nana Akufo-Addo said.
Below is the full tribute:
On behalf of the Government and people of Ghana, I extend deepest condolences to the new British monarch, King Charles III, the Royal Family, the Prime Minister, and the Government and people of Great Britain on the death, today, of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, late Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Head of the Commonwealth of Nations.
The Ghanaian people have very fond memories of the two visits she made to Ghana during her reign, and, on both occasions, we remember the friendliness, elegance, style and sheer joy she brought to the performance of her duties.
As Head of the Commonwealth of Nations, she superintended over the dramatic transformation of the Union, and steered it to pay greater attention to our shared values and better governance. She was the rock that kept the organisation sturdy and true to its positive beliefs. We shall miss her inspiring presence, her calm, her steadiness, and, above all, her great love and belief in the higher purpose of the Commonwealth of Nations, and in its capacity to be a force for good in our world.
She was a cherished and revered monarch of the British people, the longest-serving in their history, who will be sorely missed. We are saddened by her departure. In honour of her memory, I have directed that all official flags in the nation fly at half-mast for seven (7) days, as from tomorrow, Friday, 9th September.
May God bless her soul and give her peaceful rest in His Bosom until the Last Day of the Resurrection when we shall all meet again. Amen!!
Background
The Queen came to the throne in 1952 and witnessed enormous social change.
With her death, her eldest son Charles, the former Prince of Wales, will lead the country in mourning as the new King and head of state for 14 Commonwealth realms.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.
“The King and the Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
All the Queen’s children travelled to Balmoral, near Aberdeen, after doctors placed the Queen under medical supervision.
Her grandson, Prince William, is also there, with his brother, Prince Harry, on his way.
Queen Elizabeth II’s tenure as head of state spanned post-war austerity, the transition from empire to Commonwealth, the end of the Cold War and the UK’s entry into – and withdrawal from – the European Union.
Her reign spanned 15 prime ministers starting with Winston Churchill, born in 1874, and including Liz Truss, born 101 years later in 1975, and appointed by the Queen earlier this week.
She held weekly audiences with her prime minister throughout her reign.
At Buckingham Palace in London, crowds awaiting updates on the Queen’s condition began crying as they heard of her death.
The Queen was born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, in Mayfair, London, on 21 April 1926.
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