Prez inaugurates committee to plan 60th Independence Day anniversary

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has inaugurated a 30-member planning committee for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of Ghana’s independence, with a charge on the members to organise a modest but elegant and appropriate celebration.

“I think all of us are in agreement that the financial and economic circumstances of our country are not where we would like it to be. We have to recognise the reality of it; we do not have the money that we need to have and, therefore, the celebration of this milestone should be modest. It should take into account our strait and financial circumstance, but it should also be elegant and appropriate,” he stated.

The President also announced a five-member 60th anniversary awards committee, chaired by Prof. Yaw Twumasi, with Prof. Irene Odotei, Prof. J.H. Nketiah, Prof. Audrey Gadzekpo and Mr Kwaku Asirifie as members.

They are to work at identifying people who had played roles in the quest for the country’s independence and who have to be honoured.

The 30-member 60th anniversary planning committee is chaired by Mr Ken Amankwah, a former Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and key player in the celebration of Ghana@50.

The committee has 18 individuals and representations from 11 institutions as members.

A Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, and Mr Duke Ofori have been appointed as Vice Chairman and Secretary, respectively, of the committee.

Mr Ken Amankwah - Chairman of the Ghana @ 60 Planning Committee 

Committee members

The others are Mr Eugene Arhin, Mr Lord Commey, Mr Sam Ellis, Mr Edmond Boateng, Mr Michael Ofori-Atta, Ms Ama Serwaa Nyarko, Mr Jefferson Sackey, Mr Kwaku Danso Misa and Ms Abyna Ansah Adjei.

The rest include a representative from the Vice-President’s Office, the Director of State Protocol, the Chief of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Chief Director at the Presidency, the Director in charge of Finance and Administration at the Presidency and the Budget Director at the Presidency.

The 11 institutions that will be represented on the committee are the Ghana Armed Forces, the National Security, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Immigration Service, the Ghana Prisons Service, the Ghana Revenue Authority, the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Arts.

‘Be open and transparent’

President Akufo-Addo charged the committee to keep him and the entire nation abreast of all its operations, so that the whole exercise could be carried out in full transparency.

He was of the belief that the country’s freedom and independence were matters that called for continued celebration, especially on occasions of symbolic value.

United in diversity

He said Ghana was the original torchbearer of the African liberation struggle “and today we are the ones pointing the way in Africa as to how a nation should conduct itself and give itself the best chance at successful government.”

“There is a great deal to be done to realise the promise of independence and bring prosperity to the masses of our people for them to live dignified lives, and these abundant resources that our nation and, indeed, our continent have can generate standards of living worthy of people living in the 21st century for the ordinary people of our country,” he added.

“We have that big fight and work ahead of us, but, nevertheless, we have a lot to celebrate in these 60 years and I think the 60th anniversary, which falls on March 6, calls for a special celebration.

“We should do it with a good feeling as a people who come together to celebrate our oneness, to celebrate our unity. No matter the diversity of our opinions, the diversity of our origin, of belief or religion, we are all fully paid up members of the Ghana Project and these celebrations should advance that sense of unity and oneness among us,” the President said.