Ghana Marks National Day with Pomp and Pageantry

The national colours and symbol, the Black Star, adorned every available space of the Independence Square, where a parade of the security services and schoolchildren took place on Tuesday to commemorate 44 years of Ghana's independence.

The horizontal strips of the flag, conspicuously displayed on all the ceremonial routes, state buildings and principal streets of Accra weeks before the anniversary day, brought back memories of the day the flag replaced the Union Jack to end many years of British colonial rule.

The Day, which was celebrated under a relatively peaceful political culture nurtured by successive civilian and military regimes, attracted 1,050 officers and men from the Army, Navy, Airforce, Prisons, Police, Customs, Excise and Preventive, and the Ghana Immigration Services.

Also on parade were 20 teachers who led 1,000 children drawn from first and second cycle schools. The mass band of the Ghana Armed Forces, Police, Accra Metropolitan School Band and Aflao Roman Catholic All-Girls gave a rendition of patriotic songs to match the rhythmic movements of the marchers as President John Agyekum Kufuor took the salute.

Supporters of the NPP, clad in party colours of red, white and blue, turned the Square into a mini-rally, chanting party slogans to usher in Vice-President Aliu Mahama and his wife Rahamatu to the parade grounds.

The supporters, who intermittently shouted party slogans and sang gospel songs, became frenzied and seemingly uncontrollable as the Black Limousine carrying President Kufuor got to the presidential dais shortly after his wife, Theresa, had arrived.

They praised God for ensuring electoral victory for the NPP and for making Mr Kufuor the second president of the Fourth Republic.

This was followed by the playing of the national anthem after which Christian, Moslem and traditional intercessory prayers were said by schoolchildren, who asked for divine intervention to arrest the serial killers of women and bring peace and stability to Ghana.

President Kufuor was then ushered into the time-tested ceremonial Land Rover by the horse-riding parade commander, Colonel Offei Sackey.

Flanked by the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Ben Akafia, and Acting Inspector General of Police Ernest Osei Poku, President Kufuor inspected the contingents on parade amidst chanting of more party slogans.

The president acknowledged the wild cheers with handshakes and a broad smile.

The domineering presence of the Army, who were on parade for the first time in several years, became more visible during the trooping of colours.

The ceremony was characterised by the playing of the national anthem for the second time and a standing ovation from the large gathering.

Trooping of colours dates back to history when soldiers went to battle with regimental colours, which inspired them to victory.

Ministers of state, Members of Parliament, Chiefs and Queenmothers dressed in their traditional regalia, as well as members of the diplomatic corps, service commanders and leaders of the opposition political parties attended the three-hour parade.

Conspicuously missing were former President Jerry John Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, as well as other prominent members of the NDC.

Shortly before President Kufuor delivered his anniversary address, there were a variety of cultural displays of various Ghanaian traditional dances such as Damba, Kete, and Atsiagbekor by the schoolchildren and a 21-one gun salute by the armour squadron.

An Airforce plane carrying the national flag with a congratulatory message boldly written on it flew above the parade grounds.

The parade itself was without any incident except a few security personnel who collapsed due to fatigue.

Staff of State Protocol also had a tough time trying to get seats for Very Important Personalities, including former Speaker of Parliament Justice Daniel Francis Annan, who arrived late for the ceremony, as their places had been occupied by uninvited guests.

A cross-section of the people interviewed by the Ghana News Agency described the celebration as well as the national reconciliatory speech of the President as the best so far.