Ghana’s 68th Independence Day celebration will be held at the seat of the government, Jubilee House, instead of the traditional grand-scale event at Black Star Square or various regional capitals.
The Minister of State for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, announced the decision, explaining that the move is to reduce the financial burden on the national purse.
According to him, the celebrations in recent years have incurred significant costs, which the government cannot currently afford.
“President Mahama took the decision a few weeks ago to scale down the celebration and bring it to the presidency. There’s a vast compound that has the capacity to accommodate hundreds of Ghanaians,” he stated.
Unlike previous years, where around 3,600 security personnel and schoolchildren participated, this year’s event will involve just over 500 people.
“In the past, there were 60 contingents made up of 60 men and women each. So you are talking close to 3,600 men and women and 1,000s of children who match. Now everything has been scaled down to a little over 500 people.
That is both the security men and women and the school children who will be performing. This is to ensure that we do not incur the sort of costs that we incurred in the past,” he said.
The decision is expected to significantly cut costs, with the celebration set to cost only a tenth of the GH¢15 million spent on last year’s event in Koforidua in the Eastern Region.
“What will be held here tomorrow will cost a 10th of that. The scale down event does not in any way undermine the significance of the day. The Independence Day celebration is one that President Mahama takes very seriously,” he said.
While the event remains open only to invited guests, the public can follow proceedings live via television, radio, and social media platforms of the presidency and government agencies.
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