STATE HOUSE; ANKRAH ARRIVING; KENYATTA WELCOMING ANKRAH; BAND MARCHING; TRADITIONAL DANCERS; KENYATTA SPEAKING (SOF); ANKRAH SPEAKING (SOF).



TRANSCRIPT: PRESIDENT KENYATTA: "THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN OUR TWO COUNTRIES IS OF LONG-DRAWN STANDING, AND I WOULD LIKE HIM AND HIS FOLLOWERS TO MAKE THEMSELVES ABSOLUTELY AT HOME". (APPLAUSE) "THEY CAN GO ANYWHERE, AND ANYTHING THEY WANT TO SEE EITHER OF THE COUNTRY OR THE PEOPLE, OR THE ANIMALS, IT WILL BE AT YOUR DISPOSAL."



GENERAL ANKRAH: "ALL I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS MEMORABLE DAY, OR DAYS, WHICH LIE AHEAD OF US. BUT MY BROTHER AND FRIEND HAS TAUGHT ME A LESSON, AND I WILL FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE BECAUSE HE HAS ALREADY BEEN VERY, VERY BRIEF."




Initials GL/VS/JF/BB



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: LIEUTENANT-GENERAL JOSEPH ANKRAH, THE CHAIRMAN OF GHANA'S NATIONAL LIBERATION COUNCIL, ARRIVED IN NAIROBI YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY) TO BEGIN HIS SEVEN-DAY STATE VISIT TO KENYA. AT THE STATE HOUSE HE WAS GIVEN A FULL CEREMONIAL WELCOME BY PRESIDENT JOMO KENYATTA.

AS HE DROVE UP TO THE STATE HOUSE, THE 53-YEAR-OLD GHANAIAN HEAD OF STATE WAS GREETED BY A GUARD OF HONOUR AND PARADING MILITARY BANDS.

AFTER CHANGING FROM MILITARY UNIFORM INTO LOUNGE SUIT THE GENERAL AND HIS WIFE WATCHED DISPLAYS IN THEIR HONOUR BY HUNDREDS OF TRADITIONAL DANCERS.

AT THE STATE LUNCHEON WHICH FOLLOWED, PRESIDENT KENYATTA ASSURED THE GENERAL OF THE PLEASURE KENYA FELT AT HIS VISIT.

HE SAID:
GENERAL ANKRAH REPLIED:
THIS IS GENERAL ANKRAH'S FIRST STATE VISIT TO AN EAST AFRICAN COUNTRY SINCE HE ASSUMED LEADERSHIP IN GHANA THREE YEARS AGO. DURING THE VISIT HE WILL HAVE TALKS WITH KENYAN LEADERS, AND ALSO SEE KENYAN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.