The government has announced the cancellation of what it called the ‘grand observation’ of Ghana’s independence anniversary celebration.
Instead, a modest celebration would be held at the Jubilee House to commemorate the anniversary, the Minister of State in charge of Government Communication, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, told the press in Accra yesterday.
On the theme “Reflect, Review, Reset,” the Minister said it was in line with the President John Dramani Mahama government’s agenda to reset all spheres of governance.
Mr Ofosu, MP, Abura/Asebu/Kwamankese, explained that the rationale behind the modest celebrations was to save the State the accompanying cost associated with the grand celebration over the years.
He said as noble as the rotational policy of the celebration introduced by the previous government in the last couple of years might have been, same had exacerbated the cost of the annual celebration.
For example, he said the celebration held in the Volta Regional capital, Ho, in 2023 cost the taxpayer a staggering GH¢15 million.
The President, the minister said acknowledged the need to celebrate the anniversary in a manner that befits the country’s status as an independent country.
“Nonetheless, he is also minded by the (appalling) state of the economy and the various competing needs and the fact that there are critical sectors of our national life that do not receive adequate or anything near to adequate funding.
“He believes that at this moment in time, there is a need to reprioritise government expenditure,” the Government spokesperson said.
President Mahama, Mr Ofosu said was of the conviction that it was entirely possible to hold a modest but significant event to mark this important occasion without “breaking the bank.”
“For that reason, the President has decided that this year’s celebration will not take on the spectacular form that we have been used to over the years,” he stressed.
As part of measures outlined for the celebrations, he announced that there would be a military guard of honour that would be reviewed by the President, a cultural performance by two groups of basic school pupils and an impactful poetry recital by a senior high school student.
Chiefs, religious leaders, basic, secondary, and tertiary students, traders, political party representatives, and other sections of society would also be in attendance, he added.
“This event will be complemented or will be heralded by the President’s ceremonial address, which then allows him to speak to the nation in a way that draws attention to the significance of the day,” he emphasized.
The celebrations, he said would be replicated at regional and district levels but at a reduced scale in conformity with the national one.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
