59 Years of progress
President John Dramani Mahama will on Sunday March 6, review a national parade of school children, voluntary organisations and security services at the Black Star Square to commemorate the 59th anniversary of Ghana’s independence.
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The theme for this year's celebration is "Investing in the Youth for Ghana's Transformation".
A statement issued by the Flagstaff House Communication Bureau said Kenyan President, Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, will attend as the Special Guest of Honour.
President Mahama, who is expected to be joined by two visiting heads of state will deliver the independence anniversary address after a march past by security personnel and school children, drills and equipment display by the security agencies and performances by various groups.
There will also be parades in all regional and district capitals across the country, while the country's missions abroad will also host National Day events across the world.
As a prelude to the parade, the Vice President, Mr Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, will on Saturday host the annual President's Independence Day Awards at the State House.
Political History
Ghana attained independence on March 6, 1957 with Dr Kwame Nkrumah of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) as the Prime Minister.
In 1960, the country attained republican status with Dr Nkrumah becoming Ghana’s first President.
The CPP government of Dr Nkrumah was overthrown in a military coup in 1966.
The country returned to democratic rule in 1969 when Dr K. A. Busia of the Progress Party (PP) won the general election to become Prime Minister in the Second Republic.
The government of Dr Busia did not last as it was overthrown in 1972 by Colonel I. K. Acheampong who later promoted himself to a General.
General Acheampong’s Supreme Military Council was itself overthrown in a palace coup led by the number two man of the regime, Lt. General F.W.K. Akuffo.
On June 4, 1979, a coup dominated by junior officers and led by Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings resulted in the overthrow of Lt Gen Akuffo’s government and resulted in the formation of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC).
The AFRC regime of Flt Lt Rawlings, within three months in power, conducted and supervised the elections for the return to constitutional rule with the election of Dr Hilla Limann of the People’s National Party (PNP) as President on September 24, 1979.
On December 31, 1981, Flt Lt Rawlings returned to power in a military coup and held onto power until the return to constitutional rule in 1992.
Fourth Republic
Since the return to constitutional rule in 1992, Ghana has seen the election of four democratically elected Presidents.
Between 1992 and 2000, Flt Lt Rawlings served as two-term President and handed over to President John Agyekum Kufuor, who won the 2000 elections to become Ghana’s second President under the Fourth Republic.
President Kufuor also served his full tenure until the 2008 elections when his New Patriotic Party (NPP) lost the elections to see the return of the NDC under Professor John Evans Atta Mills.
Unfortunately, Prof. Mills who was seeking re-election died before the election date and the then Vice President, John Dramani Mahama, was sworn in as President to complete the first term of the late Mills
President Mahama then contested as presidential candidate of the NDC and won the elections in 2012 and was subsequently sworn in as President in January 2013.
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