66TH INDEPENDENCE DAY ANNIVERSARY PARADE MARKED IN KUMASI
The Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (ARCC) in collaboration with the Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies within Greater Kumasi on Monday 6thMarch, 2023 celebrated Ghana’s 66th Independence Anniversary with parades of the Ghana Armed Forces, Security Services, school children and some voluntary organization at the Jubilee Park in Kumasi.
The 66th parade which was held under the theme: “OUR UNITY,OUR STRENGTH, OUR PURPOSE” was formed by 9 security services, 5 cadet corps from Snr. High Schools, 2 voluntary organization, 5 private schools, Guards of KMA and GPRTU, 5 SHSs and some basic schools across the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan Area.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Simon Osei Mensah, who was there viewing officer in his speech said the theme ‘Our Unity, Our Strength, Our Purpose’ embodied the urgent need to work together to overcome the dire consequences of the turmoil currently confronting the nation. He said it was important that we unite as a people with one purpose to forge ahead into our future.
He mentioned that it was critical, therefore, that our different political persuasions, ethnic differences, and cultural diversity do not divide us and allow the differences to retard our national development, adding that, it should rather engender a collective strength that should be channeled into positive achievement.
Hon. Simon Osei Mensah noted that the Government of H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, realizing and noting the weaknesses in the structure of the Ghana economy introduced several policies and programmes aimed at helping to address the fundamental economic challenges.
According to him, the country over the years has been an importer of basic items such as toothpicks, ear removers, rice, poultry products, tomatoes, onions, fruit drinks, tiles, sugar, and many others, whilst exporting basically raw materials.
The Regional minister explained that, to address these fundamental challenges, the government since 2017 introduced pragmatic policies and programmes like Planting for Food and Jobs, Planting for Export and Rural development, Rearing for Food and Jobs, One district One Factory, One district One Warehouse, Free SHS, emphasis on TVET and STEM education, digitalization, and many others to address the weak structure of the economy.
He mentioned that the global COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war has unfortunately retarded these policies and programmes, adding that, the devastating effects of the dual global challenges of COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war has provided some inherent opportunities and lessons, which if properly exploited, will enable the nation to reverse the socio-economic downturn.
Hon. Osei Mensah used the opportunity to express his appreciation to the Asokwa, Kwadaso and Oforikrom municipalities for sustaining the painting of curbs and interchanges in some areas within their jurisdiction as part of a project which was launched by the ARCC in 2018 to clean and green the region especially Kumasi, to restore the past glory as the Garden City of West Africa.
Apart from the March past from the Security services, Cadet corps, SHSsand Basic schools, the annual event was also interspersed with some poetryrecital and cultural display by the Centre for National Culture.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Simon Osei Mensah and the new RegionalEducation Director, Mr. William Kwame Amankrah Appiah reviewed the parade.
Awards, certificate and plaques were presented to deserving schools thattook part in the parade.
Present at parade were the REGSEC members; Asantehene’s representative,Bantamahene Baffour Owusu Amankwaatia VI; some regional and metro heads ofdepartment, the clergy and the general public.
STORY AND PICS: PR-UNIT, KMA