Government did not send 337 Ghanaians to COP26 – Eugene Arhin

• Names of some 337 persons have been put out by COP26 organizers as Ghanaian participants

• Presidency says not all 337 persons made the trip to Glasgow

• Eugene Arhin indicates that government-funded the trip for only 24 persons in the presidential delegation

Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin has stated that the government did fund a delegation of 337 Ghanaians to the United Nation’s Climate Conference (COP 26) held in Glasgow.

A provisional list of participants published by the conference organizers indicates that some 337 contingents from Ghana are participating in the programme which commenced on October 31 and is expected to end on November 12, 2021.

The said list which includes President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, some ministers of state, government officials, journalists and some CSO members, has received various reactions including people bemoaning the cost it is bringing to the state.

But speaking at a Jubilee House press briefing On Thursday, November 11, 2021, the Director of Communication at the seat of government said the government neither funded or sent a Ghanaian delegation of 337 participants to COP26.

“One matter that has since generated some level of controversy is the supposed number that attended the COP from Ghana. Let me state on record that the government of Ghana did not send or fund 337 Ghanaians to attend COP26,” he said.

He explained that out of the various categories of Ghanaians who registered to participate in the conference, not everyone made it to COP26 and added that some of those who made the trip were not funded by the government of Ghana.

“Indeed, there are three categories of persons who are permitted to attend COP26 and these are; United Nations and related organizations and agencies; media and non-profit organizations with observer status; and representatives of parties to the convention and observer states.

“And from what he has observed so far, it has been shown that not all 337 persons who registered indeed attended the summit. There were media personalities as well as reps from CSOs who were captured on the list of 337 persons and who have also confirmed that their trip to Glasgow was not funded by government,” Mr Arhin said.

The director of communications at the presidency went on to put it on record that the official presidential delegation that went to Glasgow were some 24 persons including the president.

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