Municipalities in Greater Accra mark independence day
The 63rd Independence anniversary celebration was observed throughout the country with schoolchildren and civilians defying the scorching sun to take part in parades at various district capitals in the Greater Accra Region last Friday.
The celebration was on the theme “Consolidating our gains,” with the main event taking place at the Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region.
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There were cultural displays and recitals by some students and awards presented to students who had excelled in the 2019/2020 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
In attendance were education directors, traditional leaders, artisans and community members, among others.
Municipal celebrations
At the Ga North Municipal Assembly, Juliet Akyaa Safo reports that about 650 students from basic and junior high schools (JHSs) within the municipality as well as community members gathered at the Amarmoley Methodist Basic School Park to celebrate the day.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Trobu, Mr Moses Anim, who was at the event presented awards to 40 students in schools within the municipality who had excelled in the 2019/2020 BECE.
He noted that the awards were necessary to encourage other students to do their best.
Re-echoing the speech of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the assembly, Mrs Getrude Ankrah, said the government was progressing in developing every sector of the economy, including education, health, among others.
She called for all to join hands with the authorities to liberate the country from the claws of indiscipline and focus on developing the country.
Progress made
Also, at the Korley Klottey Municipal Assembly, 15 contingents made up of students from basic, junior and senior high schools (SHS) participated in the parade.
The winning schools were awarded with certificates; with the Ghana Lebanon Islamic school coming first, Osu Presby Preparatory and Calvary Methodists schools coming second and third respectively.
The MCE, Mr Nii Adjei Tawiah, said the journey through 63 years had not been easy but added that despite the obstacles and setbacks, some remarkable progress had been made.
He mentioned the positive impact of the free senior high school programme, digital property address system, Planting for Food and Jobs and the Zongo Development Fund, among others.
Touching on the outbreak of COVID-19, he urged the public to stay calm, encouraging them that the government was putting measures in place to ensure their safety.
Charles Andoh reports that 27 educational institutions comprising primary, JHS, SHS, vocational and technical schools took part in this year’s Independence Day parade organised by the Ga Central Municipal Assembly (GCMA) at the Odorgonnor SHS in Accra.
Personnel from some of the security services and members of some voluntary organisations and professions were also there in their numbers to take part in the march past.
The well-attended event was interspersed with acrobatics and display of the rich Ghanaian culture from some of the students in the area.
The colourful event was witnessed by schoolchildren, market women, traders, among others, who displayed their wares as they marched to the delight of patrons.
Awards
Some of the students who took part in the march past were awarded by the MCE for the area, Dr Emmanuel Lamptey.
The Best Student award went to Henrietta Godslove; Best School, Platinum Montessori; Best Public School, Holy Child R/C JHS, while Greta ‘D’ 2 Basic School and Odorgonno Model 1 Basic School took the Most Improved School and Most Consistent School awards.
Acknowledge the good things
In an address read on behalf of the President, Dr Lamptey said the country needed to acknowledge the good things that the nation was enjoying, and not only focus on the negatives.
Dr Lamptey said the municipality was faring well with a number of development projects currently ongoing in the area.
He urged all to work towards the development of the municipality, noting that he alone could not do it.
Dr Lamptey also called on the residents to adhere to health standards outlined by the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak.
Our reporter, Desmond Kofi Tawiah, also reports that about 20 basic, JHS and SHSs from seven educational circuits within the Ga East Municipality participated in the parade.
The MCE of the assembly, Mrs Janet Tulasi Mensah, said the municipality was seeing a massive facelift. Roads under construction, he said, included the Ashongman-Abokobi, Abokobi-Teiman and Atomic-Kwabenya roads.
“The Atomic-Taifa road has been completed, asphalt overlay projects at Taifa Main Station, Kisseman to Dome K-Boat, Kwabenya Abuom Junction through Ashongman Estate, Musuko to Atomic Roundabout and Kisseman through Westland to Haatso have all been completed,” he said.
On sanitation, she said "Operation Clean Ga East," an initiative, had been inaugurated that would see the assembly embark on a massive sanitary enforcement programme to make greater progress in environmental sanitation in the municipality.