Experts commend government’s decision to scale down Independence Day celebrations

Economic analysts and governance experts have lauded the government’s decision to scale down this year’s Independence Day celebrations, describing it as a prudent response to Ghana’s economic challenges.

During his speech at the 6th March celebration held at Jubilee House, President John Dramani Mahama said this year's budget for the event was GH₵20 million. By opting for a more modest celebration, the government spent only GH₵1 million, saving nearly GH₵19 million.

Mr Mahama noted that the decision to scale down the event was necessary given the country's economic situation.

The national parade, traditionally held at Independence Square or in a selected region, was moved to Jubilee House and conducted with fewer logistical demands.

President Mahama justified the decision, stating that while Independence Day remains a proud moment for Ghanaians, spending such an amount on festivities would have been unjustifiable given the country’s financial constraints.

The move has been widely welcomed by economic and policy analysts, who discussed the decision on Newsfile, a JoyNews programme, on Saturday, March 8.

Mr Kofi Bentil, Senior Vice President of IMANI Africa, described the decision as a reflection of Ghana’s current economic realities.

“We cannot justify spending GH₵20 million on celebrations while schools lack basic infrastructure and hospitals struggle with inadequate resources,” he said.

Dr John Gatsi, a member of the National Economic Dialogue Committee, commended the government, saying it demonstrated financial discipline.

“Every cedi matters in times like these. Scaling down the event does not diminish our national pride but rather reinforces the need for responsible spending,” he stated.

Mr Franklin Cudjoe, Founding President of IMANI Africa, also supported the move, adding that similar cost-cutting measures should be considered across other areas of public expenditure.

“This is a good step, but we need to look at other areas where public funds are not being used efficiently,” he remarked.

Dr Abdul-Tia Kabiru, MP for Wa West, noted that while national celebrations remain important, they should not come at the expense of urgent developmental needs.

“This is about making practical choices. We can still honour our independence in meaningful ways without stretching our finances,” he said.