Ghana@66: 'Let us wear, with pride, the badge of being called Ghanaian – Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo has called on Ghanaians to unite in the goal of protecting Ghana’s 4th Republic – the longest period of stable constitutional governance in the county’s history.

According to Nana Akufo-Addo, it is only free, democratic form of governance and the intelligent management of the economy that will bring the upliftment Ghanaians want and deserve.

To this end, he urged Ghanaians to continue to work to improve accountability, efficiency and transparency in the delivery of public services.

“We should continue with the process of digitilisation, we should continue the difficulty but necessary task of ridding our environment of the menace of galamsey and we should continue to pay our taxes and demand that our leaders put them to good news,” he stated in his 66th Independence Day Anniversary address in Ho in the Volta Region on Monday, 6 March 2023.

“We cannot allow those who seek to divide us along the lines of ethnicity or religion to succeed. Let us deepen the cohesion that exists amongst us, and let us wear, with pride, the badge of being called Ghanaian. There is no better homage we can pay to the memories of all those who fought to free us from the shackles of colonialism and imperialism, than to dedicate this 66th independence anniversary to working even harder for the unity, strength and purpose of our dear Ghana,” he added.

This year’s parade as has always been the case featured selected school children and the security services.

The theme for this year was: “Our Unity, Our Strength, Our Purpose”.

The Special Guest for today’s celebration was the President of Guinea Bissau, who is also the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) Umaro Sissoco Embalo.

More than 5000 people across the country, including members of the diplomatic corps, the clergy, traditional leaders and other dignitaries participated in the event.

In 2017, President Akufo-Addo decided the Independence Day celebration be held on rotational basis in every region, thus, Ho hosting it this year.

Ghana became the first sub-Saharan African country to attain independence from the United Kingdom (UK) on 6 March 1957.

The day, therefore, marks the declaration of independence from the UK by the then Prime Minister, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.