I will sacrifice my all for peace, progress – Akufo-Addo

President Nana Akufo-Addo has assured the people of Ghana that he will sacrifice his all to build a better Ghana.

In a speech to thousands of Muslims at the Independence Square to mark the celebration of Eid-ul-Adha on Tuesday, 21 August 2018, Mr Akufo-Addo said: “I pledge to you that I shall continue to sacrifice my all to ensure that I leave a legacy of peace and progress for coming generations. I shall continue to admonish my appointees to cultivate the same spirit of sacrifice that spurred our forebears to fight for our liberation”.

Eid-ul-Adha, which means 'Feast of the Sacrifice' is also called the "Festival of Sacrifice". It is the second of two Islamic holidays celebrated worldwide each year and considered the holier of the two.

It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God’s command.

In commemoration of Ibrahim’s sacrifice and obedience to Allah, an animal is sacrificed during the celebration and shared among relatives, the poor and needy. It is a day of merry-making as Muslims will share their food with non-Muslims as well.

For Mr Akufo-Addo, “Every occasion of Eid should be an occasion for reflecting on all the virtues and values that define the momentous occasion which has become the basis for celebration thousands of years after it took place”.

He said Ghana “needs people with the character of Prophet Ibrahim”, adding that: “We need to build a nation of sacrifice”.

The president encouraged the current generation to do everything possible to sustain the gains made through the sacrifice of Ghana’s founders.

“The story of Prophet Ibrahim must spur us to go the extra mile for our country,” he added.

Nana Akufo-Addo indicated that in modern times, Ghana is not struggling for “freedom from foreign domination but liberation from economic and social stagnation”.

He assured Ghanaians that his government will “make the sacrifices that are required to ensure economic and social transformation for our country and its people”.