The government has announced the activities that will mark this year's 62nd Independence Anniversary celebration.
The government said this year's Independence Anniversary celebration will take place from Thursday, February 28 to Friday March 8, 2019.
For the first time in Ghana's history the Independence day celebration will be held outside Accra, in the Northern regional capital of Tamale, specifically at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium on March 6, 2019.
This was announced when President Akufo-Addo was delivering the State of the Nation Address last Thursday in Parliament.
The Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Pius Enam Hadzide at a press briefing on Sunday, February 24, 2019, announced that the special guest of honour for the celebration would be the President of Niger, Mahamadou Issoufou.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “Celebrating Peace and Unityâ€, which, according to Mr Hadzide, “consolidates the success made in achieving peace and unity among the people of the north and also reiterates the fact that Ghana will continue to be the beacon of hope while remaining peaceful and also protecting its enviable record of being one of the most peaceful countries in Africaâ€.
Mr Hadzide said the anniversary parade will be made up of 30 different contingents, from the security services, fire service, Customs, Immigration, and the Ghana Education Service (GES).
The rest are interest groups including the Nation Builders Corps (NaBCo) and the six newly-created regions.
He added that the Tamale event will be a historic and memorable one.
“The celebration will be happening few months after the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo successfully settled the age-long chieftaincy dispute in Dagbon, a situation that had its own debilitating effect on the progress of the region for almost two decadesâ€, he said.
Meanwhile, the National Celebration Planning Committee has unveiled the anniversary logo for this year’s celebration. It is the figure 62 with an ‘adinkra’ symbol known as “Bi nkabiâ€, which resonates with the theme.
Signifying peace and harmony, the symbol loosely translates as no biting of one another.
Key activities for the celebration
• (28th February 2019) – Christianborg Crossroad shooting Incident.
• (Friday, 1st March, 2019) – Flag hoisting day, nationwide.
• (Friday, 1st March, 2019) – Muslim prayer and thanksgiving.
• (Saturday 2nd March 2019) – Tamale Peace Concert at the Jubilee Park.
• (Saturday 2nd March 2019) – Year of Return.
• (Sunday 3rd March 2019) – Christian Prayer and Thanksgiving, all churches.
• (Tuesday 5th March 2019) – “Rep the Northâ€, Northern Wear Day/nationwide.
• (Tuesday 5th March 2019) – Reenactment of the declaration of Independence at old Polo Grounds.
• (Tuesday 5TH March 2019) – 62nd Anniversary fireworks by the Ghana Military at various locations before midnight.
• (Wednesday 6th March 2019) – Independence Day Parade at Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium at 8am.
Read also: SONA2019: 62nd Independence day celebration to be held in Tamale