The Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has defended the government’s decision to significantly scale down Ghana’s Independence Day celebrations, revealing that the move has reduced the cost of the event by about 90 per cent.
Speaking on Newsfile on JoyNews on Saturday, March 7, the minister said the decision was initiated by President John Dramani Mahama shortly after the administration assumed office, following concerns about the rising cost and the physical strain the traditional parade placed on participants.
According to Mr Kwakye Ofosu, as preparations for the annual celebration of Ghana’s independence from United Kingdom approached, the President questioned whether the elaborate national parade remained justified given the financial burden and health risks associated with the event.
“The feedback has been great,” he said. “When we first came to power and the independence celebrations were inching closer, the President just called us one day and said, ‘Is it really worth all this pageantry given the cost?’”
Beyond the financial implications, the minister explained that the government also considered the safety and welfare of participants, particularly schoolchildren and military personnel who typically spend long hours standing under the sun during rehearsals and the main parade.
“There was also the sheer stress that we put on schoolchildren and military officers,” he noted. “We have had instances where some of the military officers and schoolchildren have passed out because they had to stand in the sun for several hours.”
He acknowledged that even under the previous administration led by the New Patriotic Party (NPP), efforts had been made to reduce the strain on participants.
One such measure involved allowing parade contingents to arrive only when it was time for them to march, rather than remain standing throughout the entire ceremony.
Despite those adjustments, the government still faced concerns about the rising cost of the celebrations. Mr Kwakye Ofosu said President Mahama subsequently requested detailed figures on how much previous Independence Day events had cost the state.
According to him, the previous NPP administration rotated the national celebration among several regional capitals, including Tamale, Ho and Sunyani.
He disclosed that the most recent celebration under the previous government cost approximately GH¢15 million.
“When the President asked for what it would cost at the Independence Square, because it is a bigger venue and you would need more numbers, the estimated cost rose even further,” he explained.
The minister said a typical parade at the square would require about 60 contingents, each made up of men and women drawn from the security services and schools.
“Ordinarily, you will need 60 contingents of men and women each. That right away gives you about 3,600 people marching on the day, so you have to take care of their transportation, feeding and all the costs that come with it,” he said.
With those logistical demands, the projected cost of hosting the celebration at Independence Square was estimated at nearly GH¢20 million.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu said the President rejected the proposal, insisting that the government could not justify spending such an amount on the ceremony.
“So the President said he was not going to have any of this,” he noted.
Instead, the government opted to hold a scaled-down event at the forecourt of the presidency at Jubilee House.
He described the venue as “a vast, sprawling complex” with sufficient space to host a smaller but dignified ceremony.
Under the revised arrangement, the number of participants was drastically reduced to about 300, with attendance limited largely to invited guests.
Mr Kwakye Ofosu acknowledged that this approach inevitably reduced public participation compared with the traditional celebrations held at Independence Square or in regional capitals, where large crowds typically gather.
“That is a regrettable effect of having to cut down,” he admitted. “At the Independence Square or regional capitals, people can come in their numbers and support the process.”
However, he maintained that the decision ultimately served the national interest, noting that the government had been able to reduce the cost of the celebration to about GH¢1.5 million.
“When everything was done and said, we cut down the budget by about 90 per cent,” he said.
According to the minister, the scaled-down celebration cost roughly GH¢1.5 million last year, and the same budgetary allocation has been maintained for this year’s event.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com
