GRi Newsreel Ghana 06 - 03 - 2001
Kufuor: "Let's
not live on past memories"
Ghana marks national day with pomp and
pageantry
World leaders
salute Ghana at 44
Queen sends
message to Kufuor on independence
Kufuor:
"Let's not live on past memories"
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 March 2001
President John Agyekum Kufuor on
Tuesday urged Ghanaians not to live on past memories but contribute their worth
to restore the country to its past glories.
"We shall not allow the Ghana
story to be only what can be seen on old newsreel tapes, nor our sporting
glories to be recounted only through the exploits of past heroes," he
said.
President Kufuor was delivering
his maiden independence speech to school children, members of the security
services as well as a cross-section of the public at the Independence Square as
part of Ghana's 44th independence anniversary celebrations.
As characteristic of such
celebrations, there was a national parade of school children some civil
organisations. For the first time, however, the security services joined in the
parade to add colour and pomp.
President Kufuor repeated his
government's resolve to make Ghana a united, happy and prosperous country while
adopting policies that will make the nation economically self-reliant.
He urged the nation not to give up
in the face of the present economic difficulties but regard them as challenges
that must be met.
"The big economic
difficulties that we face today might appear so enormous as to paralyse us with
despair," he said.
"We can easily throw up our
arms as we try to grapple with the concept of trillions of cedis as debts and
argue over how many zeroes constitute a trillion. But we should think of our
present desperate economic conditions not as obstacles but as challenges."
President Kufuor referred to the
National Reconciliation Committee, which he proposed in his sessional address,
saying Parliament would be involved in getting a national consensus so that its
work is seen as a reconciling and healing act.
He expressed the hope that once
set up, it would receive the support of all.
"We need to be reconciled for
our land to be healed," he said, and gave hints of his intention to grant
amnesties in due course, as part of the healing process.
President Kufuor said at 44, Ghana
could still claim to be a young nation and, therefore, should take advantage of
its youthful strength to fashion its identity and mould its aspirations.
He underscored the significance of
Ghana's Independence Day and said it was great pity that with the passage of
time, March 6 appeared to have been relegated in its importance on the
political calendar.
Henceforth, the day will be
restored to its proper place as the premier day for celebrations, he repeated.
"It should be the day that
Ghanaians all over the world feel the need to stop and celebrate. We should fly
our national flag with pride and tell the story of our nationhood."
President Kufuor said the role of
parents and teachers is crucial because
"they mould us, and influence our behaviour as adults."
He said it is, therefore, tragic
that the teaching profession, which used to be such an honoured one, has been
allowed to lose stature.
The President restated his
government's determination to restore teachers to their proper status.
"That is the only way the
profession will attract and retain the best brains and well-behaved
individuals, right from the primary to the tertiary level."
The education system needs to be
put right to enable it to compete with the rest of the world and be able to
meet the challenges of a fast changing technological market place.
President Kufuor said he was
unhappy about the lack of maintenance culture in the society adding that it has
led to the disintegration of infrastructure.
"The number of roads which
once constructed, are never repaired; the number of houses, which once built,
never get a coat of paint or walls which have been left to collapse simply
because no one bothered to replace a block at the correct time."
President Kufuor said if Ghana
should succeed, the nation must develop a culture of maintenance.
The same attitude should be adopted
to protect the environment. "We inherited at our birth, a beautiful land,
blessed with thick forests, precious minerals and varied animals. We have the
right to make use of these and other natural gifts to enhance the quality of
our lives."
Among dignitaries present were
Vice President Aliu Mahama, top government officials and veteran politicians.
Conspicuously missing were former
President Jerry Rawlings and Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, former Vice
President.
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Ghana marks national day with pomp and
pageantry
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 March 2001
The national colours and symbol, the Black Star, adorned
every available space of the Independence Square, where a parade of the
security services and schoolchildren took place on Tuesday to commemorate 44
years of Ghana's independence.
The horizontal strips of the flag, conspicuously displayed
on all the ceremonial routes, state buildings and principal streets of Accra weeks
before the anniversary day, brought back memories of the day the flag replaced
the Union Jack to end many years of British colonial rule.
The Day, which was celebrated under a relatively peaceful
political culture nurtured by successive civilian and military regimes,
attracted 1,050 officers and men from the Army, Navy, Airforce, Prisons,
Police, Customs, Excise and Preventive, and the Ghana Immigration Services.
Also on parade were 20 teachers who led 1,000 children drawn
from first and second cycle schools.
The mass band of the Ghana Armed Forces, Police, Accra
Metropolitan School Band and Aflao Roman Catholic All-Girls gave a rendition of
patriotic songs to match the rhythmic movements of the marchers as President
John Agyekum Kufuor took the salute.
Supporters of the NPP, clad in party colours of red, white
and blue, turned the Square into a mini-rally, chanting party slogans to usher in
Vice-President Aliu Mahama and his wife Rahamatu to the parade grounds.
The supporters, who intermittently shouted party slogans and
sang gospel songs, became frenzied and seemingly uncontrollable as the Black Limousine
carrying President Kufuor got to the presidential dais shortly after his wife,
Theresa, had arrived.
They praised God for ensuring electoral victory for the NPP
and for making Mr Kufuor the second president of the Fourth Republic.
This was followed by the playing of the national anthem
after which Christian, Moslem and traditional intercessory prayers were said by
schoolchildren, who asked for divine intervention to arrest the serial killers
of women and bring peace and stability to Ghana.
President Kufuor was then ushered into the time-tested
ceremonial Land Rover by the horse-riding parade commander, Colonel Offei
Sackey.
Flanked by the Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General
Ben Akafia, and Acting Inspector General of Police Ernest Osei Poku, President
Kufuor inspected the contingents on parade amidst chanting of more party
slogans.
The president acknowledged the wild cheers with handshakes
and a broad smile.
The domineering presence of the Army, who were on parade for
the first time in several years, became more visible during the trooping of
colours.
The ceremony was characterised by the playing of the
national anthem for the second time and a standing ovation from the large
gathering.
Trooping of colours dates back to history when soldiers went
to battle with regimental colours, which inspired them to victory.
Ministers of state, Members of Parliament, Chiefs and
Queenmothers dressed in their traditional regalia, as well as members of the
diplomatic corps, service commanders and leaders of the opposition political
parties attended the three-hour parade.
Conspicuously missing were former President Jerry John
Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, as well as other prominent
members of the NDC.
Shortly before President Kufuor delivered his anniversary
address, there were a variety of cultural displays of various Ghanaian
traditional dances such as Damba, Kete, and Atsiagbekor by the schoolchildren
and a 21-one gun salute by the armour squadron.
An Airforce plane carrying the national flag with a
congratulatory message boldly written on it flew above the parade grounds.
The parade itself was without any incident except a few
security personnel who collapsed due to fatigue.
Staff of State Protocol also had a tough time trying to get
seats for Very Important Personalities, including former Speaker of Parliament Justice
Daniel Francis Annan, who arrived late for the ceremony, as their places had
been occupied by uninvited guests.
A cross-section of the people interviewed by the Ghana News
Agency described the celebration as well as the national reconciliatory speech of
the President as the best so far.
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World leaders
salute Ghana at 44
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 March 2001
World leaders on Tuesday sent
congratulatory messages to President John Agyekum Kufuor on Ghana's 44th
Independence anniversary.
They came from presidents Johannes
Rua of Germany, Dr Negaso Gidada of Ethiopia, Mr Vojislav Kostunica of
Yugoslavia, Mr Jiang Zemin of China, Mr V. Putin of Russia, Colonel Muammar
Al-Qadafi of Libya and Queen Elizabeth of Britain.
Queen Elizabeth sent her warmest
greetings and best wishes for the good fortune and happiness of Ghanaians.
President Putin expressed the
confidence that the traditional relationships of friendship and mutual
understanding between Russia and Ghana will continue to develop successfully
for the benefit of the peoples of the two countries in the interests of peace
and international co-operation.
The government of Canada said:
"We will continue to work actively with Ghana and the new administration
to capitalise on the momentum achieved in our bilateral relationship to date as
well as promote our collaborative activities in multilateral fora".
President Jiang Zemin of China
said his country is pleased to notice that the government and people of Ghana
are actively safeguarding national unity and revamping the national economy
"and has so far made an initial achievement".
President Castro noted that
"upon ratifying our willingness to continue working for the strengthening
of the friendly bonds and co-operation uniting our two peoples and countries, I
express my best wishes for the well being of the dear Ghanaian people and your
personal happiness".
President Kostunica's message
read: "I am convinced that the friendly relations and co-operation between
the two countries will continue to be developed in the mutual interest of our
peoples".
The other world leaders also
conveyed messages of hope, strengthening of the existing bond of relationships,
and a wish for success ahead.
They assured the government and
people of Ghana of continued support for the development of the country and its
democratic institutions.
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Queen sends
message to Kufuor on independence
Accra (Greater Accra) 06 March 2001
Queen Elizabeth II of the United
Kingdom has sent a message to President John Agyekum Kufuor on the occasion of
Ghana's 44th Independence Day.
The message released by the
British High Commission on Monday, read: "I send my warmest greetings to
your Excellency, Mr J.A. Kufuor, on the celebration of your National Day,
together with my best wishes for the good fortune and happiness of the people
of Ghana."
Ghana led by Osagyefo Dr Kwame
Nkrumah, won independence from Britain on March 6, 1957.
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