President in a shot with the committee
In spite of the financial and economic challenges confronting Ghana, President Akufo-Addo thinks it is still prudent to celebrate the country’s 60th independence anniversary.
“I think all of us are in agreement that the financial and economic circumstances of our country are not what we will all like it to be; we have to recognize the reality of it. We don’t have the money that we’ll want to have and therefore our celebrations of this milestone…should be modest. We should take into account our strait and financial circumstances,” he noted, when he was inaugurating a 30-member Committee to plan the country’s 60th independence anniversary celebration scheduled for March 6, 2017.
He insisted, “It should also be elegant and appropriate; we should live it with a good feeling about ourselves as an occasion that we all come together to celebrate our oneness, to celebrate our unity.”
Members
The Committee has former Deputy Director General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Ken Amankwah, as its Chairman, with Deputy Chief of Staff at the presidency, Samuel Abu Jinapor, as his Vice Chairman and one Duke Ofori-Atta, Secretary.
Other members include Acting Director of Communications and his colleague Director of Operations at the presidency, Eugene Fiifi Arhin and Laud Commey respectively.
The rest are Sam Ellis, Edmond Boateng, Michael Ofori-Atta, Ama Serwaa Nyarko, Jefferson Sackey, Kwaku Danso Misa and Abyna Ansah Adjei, who are both part of the communication working group, a representative from the Vice President’s office, the Director of State Protocol, a representative from the State Protocol, the Chief of Protocol – Ministry of Foreign Affairs – the Chief Director at the presidency, Director of Finance and Administration at the presidency, Director of Budget at the presidency and 11 other institutional representatives from the Armed Forces, National Security, Police Service, Immigration Service, Prisons Service, Revenue Authority, Fire Service, Ghana Education Service, Ministries of Education, Information as well as Tourism and Creative Arts.
Justification
“Even though we are going through difficult times, I believe that it is right and proper we should celebrate it, especially on symbolic occasions.”
“We still have a lot to celebrate as Ghanaians. No matter the diversity of opinion, the diversity of origin, the diversity of our 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 amongst us.”
Awards Committee
The president has since named another six-member committee to be chaired by famous political scientist, Professor Yaw Twumasi.
Other members are Professors Irene Odotei, J.H. Nketia, Audrey Gadzekpo, the Tumu Kuoro [chief of Tumu] and Kwaku Essilfie.
They are to help nominate Ghanaians who are worthy of honour on the day of Ghana’s 60th milestone.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Flagstaff House