Ghana’s 55th Independence Anniversary Observed in Charlottesville

Ghana’s 55th Independence Anniversary Observed in Charlottesville, USA The Ghanaian community in Charlottesville in the State of Virginia in USA has observed the 55th Independence Anniversary with special get-together function. The event, organized by the Ghana Association of Charlottesville was also attended by invited guests from the City of Charlottesville and its surrounding areas.

The Chairman of the Ghana Association of Charlottesville, Nana Akyeampong-Ghartey in a short address gave a brief history of Ghana’s independence and paid a glowing tribute to Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first President of Ghana and all those who fought for the independence of Ghana.

Nana Ghartey also expressed gratitude to the City of Charlottesville for its immense contribution to Ghana. He recounted that last year the University of Virginia (UVA) Health System in Charlottesville donated a large quantity of medical supplies to the Ghana Association of Charlottesville to support health care delivery in Ghana. Nana Ghartey added that the medical supplies were shipped to Ghana and distributed to various hospitals and health centres in Ghana. He disclosed that the UVA Health System is putting together another consignment of medical supplies for the Association to ship to Ghana very soon. The occasion was also used to honour certain individuals and institutions in Charlottesville that have been supporting activities of the Ghana Association of Charlottesville and Ghana as a whole. The individuals honoured were, “Osahene” Dave Norris, the immediate past Mayor of the City of Charlottesville who also happens to be an honorary warrior and leader of one of the Asafo Groups in Winneba in the Central Region of Ghana; Madam Trena Berg, the Clinical Co-ordinator of the UVA Health System MERCI Program and her team of personnel who facilitated the donation of medical supplies to the Association; and Madam Michelle Christian, Special Events and Facility Rental Co-ordinator of the City of Charlottesville. The University of Virginia Health System and the City of Charlottesville were the institutions that were honoured.

Members of the Association and invited guests were treated to a variety of finger-licking Ghanaian food including banku, akple and okro soup, waakye, tuo zaafi, jollof rice, pancake, fante kenkey, Ga kenkey, kaakro, kelewele, dough nut (bofrot), ampesi, tilapia, koose, aponkye nkrakra and kyinkyinga (kebab) with Dee Jay Sefa Nkrumah providing Ghanaian highlife, gospel, and azonto music. Earlier, the USA and Ghana national anthems were played to signify the closer ties between the two countries. AFENHYIA PA, GHANA.

By Augustine Arthur, Virginia, USA