Soldiers, Police in Accra March in Nkrumah's Honour

Accra, Sept. 19, GNA - The Ghana Armed Forces and Police Service on Saturday went on a route march through some principal streets of Accra, and ended with a wreath laying ceremony at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum to commemorate the centenary celebration of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, First President of the Republic of Ghana. The ceremony epitomizes the dictum that "A nation that does not honour its heroes is not worth dying for." The brief but impressive march started at Mantse Agbona in James Town, and ended at the Mausoleum where the remains of the Dr. Kwame Nkrumah lie.

Present at the ceremony were the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), Major General Augustine Peter Blay, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Paul Qyaye and other service commanders. Two wreaths were laid, one on behalf of the officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces by the CDS, and the other by the IGP, on behalf of the officers and men of the Police Service.

Maj.Gen Peter Blay in a remark eulogized Kwame Hkrumah for what he called his "Ghanaianisation Policies" which, according to the CDS, metamorphosed the British controlled Armed Forces to purely Ghanaian in terms of personnel and policy, thereby making it professionally competent.

He said these land mark policies of Nkrumah made the army capable of defending the nation against internal and external aggression, and enabled it to maintain peace and security in the country. Major Gen Blay said that Nkrumah had really prepared the ground for Africans to take their destiny into their own hands. "We join in the celebration to honour Nkrumah for his good work not only for Ghana but for Africa and the world," he said, adding: "We are proud to be associated with the activities of the celebration." He said the positive approach of Nkrumah to the peace and security of the African continent was remarkable. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Kwesi Ofori, Public Relations Director of the Police service, said Nkrumah re-branded the police service, changing it from Gold Coast Police Force to the Ghana Police Service. DSP Ofori stated that Nkrumah established the Police College that trained officers to lead the service. He explained that all these had made the police resolute in maintaining law and order, and that their services were also extended to other countries through peace missions. He said though the police had their ups and downs in the maintenance of law and order, they had lived up to expectation. About 500 men and women from the Armed Forces and Police Service took part in the march that lasted for an hour. 19 Sept. 09