Accra: The hosting of the 68th Independence Day Celebration national parade at the forecourt of the Presidency on Thursday, March 6, will cost one-tenth of the previous year's event in Koforidua. Mr. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Presidential Spokesman and Minister of State in-charge of Government Communications, announced that the previous celebration in Koforidua cost GHS15 million. The government's decision to move this year's parade from Independence Square to the Presidency is a strategic move to cut costs.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Ofosu emphasized that the scaled-down events do not diminish the significance of the Independence Day celebrations. Traditionally held on a grand scale at the Black Star Square, recent years have seen a rotational policy among regional capitals. However, these celebrations incurred significant expenses that the national budget can no longer sustain. President John Dramani Mahama decided a few weeks ago to reduce the scale of the celebrations and host them at the Presidency.
The forecourt of the Presidency is a vast compound with the capacity to accommodate hundreds of Ghanaians. Mr. Ofosu highlighted the reduction in participants, noting that past celebrations involved 60 contingents of 60 men and women each, totaling nearly 3,600 participants, including thousands of children. This year, the number has been reduced to just over 500 people, comprising security personnel and schoolchildren.
The Minister reiterated the importance of the Independence Day celebration to President Mahama. He stated that while the event must be celebrated, it should be done modestly to enable financial savings that can be redirected to other areas of national expenditure. Mr. Ofosu urged those without an invitation to refrain from attending, as security officials would be tasked with turning them away. However, invited guests are encouraged to attend.
Ghanaians can follow the parade through television, radio, and live streams on the social media handles of the Presidency, President Mahama's own Facebook and X pages, and the Information Service Division's social media platforms. These measures ensure that citizens can participate in the celebration from their homes, fostering national unity and paving the way for national development.
