Great parade, great turnout

Front: March 7/2008

Story: Stephen Sah & Charles Benoni Okine

A SMART turnout of schoolchildren and security agencies at the Independence Square in Accra yesterday climaxed the celebration of Ghana’s 51 years of independence.
The ceremony, which attracted a massive gathering of people from all walks of life, showcased military hardware and Ghanaian culture in dress and dance.
On show were armoured vehicles, multi-rocket launchers, jet fighters, Fokker 27 transport planes and police crowd control vehicles, among others.
Most of those who attended the ceremony were dressed in either kente, smock or white cloth as part of their show of patriotism and respect for the country.
At exactly 8.30 am, the President, dressed in a black suit over blue shirt with a multicoloured neck tie to match, and his wife Theresa emerged from the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium end of the square in his sleek black presidential Mercedes Benz.
His car was ushered in to the ceremonial grounds by a large motorcade and police personnel on beautifully decorated horses to add colour to the occasion, the last by President Kufuor, after what many have described as dedicated service to the nation.
Before his arrival, the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, gorgeously dressed in his white ‘agbada’ with a black Muslim hat to match, and his wife Ramatu arrived to an abridged national salute by the mass band.
The President, on his arrival, immediately took the national salute and retired to his seat after exchanging pleasantries with some of the VVIP dignitaries, including The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Ebenezer Sakyi-Hughes, his wife, and the Chief Justice, Mrs Goergina Woode.
That set the tone for the commencement of proceedings for the simple but very colourful parade.
Traditional and Christian prayers were offered by pupils from the Osu Klottey sub-metropolis, while pupils from Ayawaso sub-metropolis also offered the Muslim prayers for peace and unity, a violence-free elections in the country and wisdom and vision for the nation’s leaders.
After that, President Kufuor, accompanied by the Inspector General of Police, Mr Patrick Kwarteng Acheampong, Chief of Defence Staff, Lt Gen J.B. Dankwa and the Ministers of the Interior and Defence, inspected the contingent and later lit the national flame at the Cenotaph for the unknown soldier.
A social dance of the Nzemas and the Ahantas from the Western Region, Kundum, was performed by pupils from the Chemuna and Sempe Junior High Schools in the Ablekuma sub-metropolis while pupils from the Labone SDA Preparatory School in Accra entertained the crowd to a splendid gymnastic activity in which the group wrote “51” and “So far so good”, probably to indicate Ghana’s achievement through the years.
A contingent of 45 officers and 900 other ranks drawn from the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Air Force, Navy, Police, Immigration Service, Ghana National Fire Service, Prisons Service and Customs Excise and Preventive Service, as well as the a Ghana Education Service (GES) contingent of 32 teachers and 480 schoolchildren. took part in the parade.
The GES contingent was made up of basic schools from Ablekuma North, Osu Klottey, 5 Garrison and Kpeshie sub-metropolis and two private schools, an HIV/AIDS awareness group and a special group from the Dzorwulu Special School.
The others were second cycle schools such as Accra High, Ebenezer Secondary School and Presbyterian Secondary School at La.
The Army cadet from Kinbu Secondary Technical, Navy Cadet from Labone Secondary School, Air Force cadet from Odorgonno Secondary School and Police cadet from Depot/Airport Basic School were also at the parade.
The parade was under the command of Brig Gen Austin Apogan-Yella and had the mass band of the central bands of the Ghana Armed Forces, Ghana Police, the Ghana Navy and the Ghana Air Force, as well as the GES Accra Metro School band providing music.
It was attended by people from all walks of life, including Ministers of State, Members of Parliament, traditional rulers, members of the Bar and the Bench, clergymen and politicians, and members of the Diplomatic Corps.
During the march past by the contingents, they formed a line to spell “Ayekoo”, meaning well done while the Ghana Armed Forces and Ghana Police Service displayed their might in working apparatus.
Some of the military equipment bore inscriptions such as” Ghana Armed Forces, Partners in development” and Ghana Armed Forces, Ensuring peace and stability”.
While the ceremony was on-going , the Ghana Armed Forces gave the crowd an added impetus of satisfaction when some helicopters and military aircraft simultaneously hovered past, spewing smoke of the national colours of red, gold and green.
At the same time, a Ghana Navy ship was sighted on the ocean doing some displays while the 21-gun salute also boomed in the background amidst cheers from the teeming crowd.
Before President Kufuor could deliver his last independence address, a student from the Armed Forces Secondary Technical performed a drum appellation, which was interpreted by a female student from the Labone Secondary School.
Some senior service commanders were presented with Ghana’s Golden Jubilee medals.