Ghana’s independence celebration, has over the last three years, taken place in three different regions, namely Greater Accra, Northern and Ashanti regions.
This is because President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has decided, as a policy, to rotate the celebration in all the 16 regions of the country.
With this brilliant idea, President Akufo-Addo has truly democratised and partially decentralised the celebration of Ghana’s independence, a momentous feat that should be gleefully commended by all well-meaning Ghanaians.
Prior to this policy, the nation had celebrated the event in Ghana’s capital, Accra, for 60 years.
As we talk about decentralisation in the country, it is important that we decentralise all important national events for the people to feel part of the system and this we believe, will galvanise them to do more for the country.
This year’s independence celebration at the Baba Yara Stadium in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi, was colourful and memorable.
The display of the famous Ghanaian culture and predominant wearing of Kente, a brightly coloured cloth consisting of separate strips sewn together, mostly in the Ashanti region, was a delight to watch.
The Kente is an Akan royal and sacred cloth worn only in times of extreme importance and the wearing of this historic garment by Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and his wife at the celebration, indeed showed the significance of the occasion.
Again, the wearing of the royal cloth by the Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago, Dr. Keith Christopher Rowley and his wife at the event was historic.
THE CUSTODIAN gives tons of plaudits to the organisers of the programme for doing a wonderful job.
We also congratulate the security personnel on parade, the school children and their teachers and all others for giving us a wonderful display of Ghana’s military prowess and legendary Ghanaian culture.
Similarly, we thank President Akufo-Addo for his decision to send the celebration of Ghana’s independence to all the regions of the country.
Apart from the people feeling part of the process, it also spreads economic benefits and social networking to the regions.
We learnt that all the hotels in Kumasi and surrounding communities were fully booked and food vendors as well as other retailers were in full business as a result of the celebration.
It is our hope that all future presidents will maintain this wonderful policy.
This can only be a plus for the country and we should celebrate in unity and oneness of purpose to develop our homeland Ghana.
