President John Dramani Mahama has suspended the rotation of Independence Day celebrations

The government has suspended the rotational celebration of Ghana’s Independence Day celebration and national parade, which is held on March 6 every year. 

The Minister of State for Government Communication, Hon. Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has announced that the government will hold a modest ceremony at the presidency to mark Ghana’s 68th independence anniversary instead of the traditional grand parade at the Independence Square.

Ghana’s Independence Day is celebrated annually on March 6th, marking the country’s independence from British colonial rule in 1957.

Initially, the independence celebrations were held in Accra but later decentralized to various regional capitals to promote inclusivity and regional pride.

Since 2017, Ghana has celebrated its Independence Day in different regional capitals, a tradition aimed at decentralizing the festivities and bringing the celebration closer to the people. But this year, President Mahama has decided to pull the plug on this practice, citing the exorbitant costs involved.

According to Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the 2023 event cost the country GH¢15 million. He stressed that the government is committed to prudent spending while delivering on its core mandate.