Former president John Dramani Mahama has accused the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) of turning Ghana’s Independence Day celebration into a lavish and boisterous political campaign rallies.
According to Mr. Mahama, he does not understand why the NPP government led by President Akuffo Addo will organize a pompous parade to mark 66 years of independence at a time when the country is experiencing dire economic crisis.
The former president said he has therefore decided to boycott the 66th Ghana’s Independence Day celebration to be held on 6th March at HO, in the Volta Regional Capital.
Speaking at an NDC professional Forum 5th anniversary held in Accra, Mr. Mahama said ‘’I have stop going to the Independence Day because it has become a party jamboree’’.
He told the NDC Pro Forum members ‘’Independence is a solemn national celebration, we used to celebrate it at the independence square and everybody could come, today they bus their supporters in, they have party flags, wearing party T-shirts, I don’t want to be part of a party jamboree, Nkrumah got us independence, I am an Nkrumahist, I will attend an independence day any day if it not hijack by one party, because it should be a national day for all of us”…
He continued “So I am not going to be in HO (for the celebration) because I don’t want to be part of NPP jamboree, you watch what will happen, they will bus their people in and occupy that whole place’’.
The former president who is seeking to lead his political party the NDC again as it presidential candidate for the 2024 elections expressed worry about shortage of child vaccines that has hit the country.
‘’Today if you are a mother and you take your child to the hospital for a vaccine, 3 vaccines are short, first time since the fourth republic, so what are we celebrating independence when our children cannot get vaccines and you are going to celebrate 66 years of independence, you celebrate it, I am not going to be part of it’’.
Mr. Mahama comment comes days after notable Ghanaians such as the former Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo, and Actor John Dumelo have publicly urged the government to reconsider spending money on Independence Day celebrations.
Ghana’s Independence Day is celebrated on 6th March every year to mark the declaration of independence from the British Colonial by Prime minister Dr. Kwame Nkrumah on 6th March 1957.
About NDC Proforum
The NDC Professionals Forum is an incorporated center left Professionals and Civil Society Organisation that serves as a vehicle for mobilizing various categories of top notch professionals in Ghana and in the Diaspora to support the National Democratic Congress.
The NDC Proforum was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee on March 6th, 2018.
Being a voluntary social democratic organisation, the Forum’s overarching goal is to bring together some of the best brains in Ghana to offer diversified experiences, professional expertise, and material resources to support the National Democratic Congress to win elections and govern Ghana with the principles of social democracy.
Story: Emmanuel Coffie/Radiogoldlive.com
