A section of Ghanaians are calling on government to adopt new and modern ways to celebrate Ghana’s Independence Day which will create excitement and involve all citizens.
The call comes after Ghana’s 57th Independence Day parade on Thursday was nearly ruined by heavy downpour.
The day is usually marked with a grand parade and a march past at the Black Star Square by school pupils and members of the security agencies.
The format has been criticised and described by some as archaic.
One of such persons’ is Financial Analyst, Sydney Casely-Hayford, who said ”It’s a historical event which must be celebrated, but done very differently”.
”I will like to see independence day done very differently, there are significant opportunities that we miss…; when you have an event like independence day I will like to see a week-long celebration…,” he said.
According to him, there should be a series of activities to mark celebrate Independence Day and ”those series of event should not be just the march past, the march past can be done one of the mornings.”
He also said independence celebration should bring together other people from Africa to join in all forms of events to celebrate and tell the story of Ghana.
”In the run up to Independence Day we shouldn’t only look at how we celebrate in Ghana, we should look at how we bring most of our friends in West Africa to celebrate with us; I will like to see music events, to see some fashion parade…”
”Things that we will plan the whole week in doing…,” he stated.
Speaking on Citi FM’s news analysis and political programme, The Big Issue, Mr Casely-Hayford said the ”walking and marching” thing is of no significance and relevance to independence.
”We should have a day of culture, a day music, a day of sports, a day of civil knowledge acquisition. Something that will enable us to really enjoy a whole week of celebration, culminating in a speech at the end of the day by the President of Ghana,” he reiterated.
Another panel on the show, Kathleen Addy, a Consultant said the march past has no value. ”The marching does not whip up patriotism,” she added.
She said the military men marching is meant to inspire fear of the military.
By: Evans Effah/citifmonline.com/Ghana