Obuasi celebrates independence day anniversary in a grand style

Residents of Obuasi were not left out in the celebration of the 60th Independence Day Anniversary of Republic of Ghana. It was all excitement as Chiefs; members of the Security Services, Teachers, Students, the media Assembly members and the general public thronged the Obuasi Len Clay Sports Stadium on Monday, 6th March, 2017 to mark the day.

Delivering the President’s speech to commemorate the day, the acting Municipal Chief Executive who is also the Municipal Coordinating Director for Obuasi, Mr. Charles Oteng expressed gratitude to the various schools that took part in the march past competition and the general public for turning up in their numbers to celebrate the day.

Whiles recounting Ghana’s rich history, Mr. Oteng said “Our forefather’s chose this day, March 6 , as the date of our independence, in order to repudiate the Bond of 1844, which led to our land becoming a British colony. He said, the theme for this year’s celebration “MOBILISING FOR GHANA’S FUTURE” is to mark our freedom from the clutches of British imperialism and to celebrate the final achievement of the struggle of successive generations of Ghanaian patriots to establish a free, sovereign Ghana.

He mentioned names of those who played significant roles in the country’s independence struggle but had been forgotten. Names such as John Mensah Sarbah, J. P Brown, Joseph Casely Hayford of the Aborigines Right Protection Society formed in 1897, Ephraim Amu, Otumfuo Prempeh I Professor Adum Kwapong ; the first Ghanaian Vice Chancellor at the University of Ghana and Oko Ampofo are worthy of mention for their efforts in moulding the Ghanaian that emerged on March 6, 1957.

He bemoaned the state of Ghana’s economy even after 60 years and said it is a far cry of what was initially expected after independence. “We have run out of excuses and it is time to set Ghana to rights and get the country to where it should be. The challenge before us is to build our economy and generate a prosperous, progressive and dignified life for the mass of our people “, he retorted.

On issues of the environment, Mr. Oteng said a time has come for us to protect our dense forests, that were home to trees, animals and which were bequeathed to us by our forefathers. He said, it behoves on us to safeguard our land and river bodies for the generation unborn.

At the end of the march past competition, Independence Primary School, St. Cecilia Junior High School and Obuasi Senior High and Technical school emerged winners in the Primary, Junior High School and Senior High School categories respectively.

Research utilization of the Deaf and Dumb, a private deaf and dumb school in the Obuasi Municipality took home an award for the special prize category whiles the LEAP school entertained the crowd with a cultural display.