Former President John Drmani Mahama has wished all Ghanaians a Happy Independence Day celebration on Monday, March 6.
The theme for the event will be: ‘Our Unity, Our Strength, Our Purpose’.
In a Facebook post, he said “We can, obviously, make our independence from colonial rule count if we put our minds to the task and eschew greed and divisiveness in all sectors of our national life.
“I also know political leadership has a greater responsibility towards making Ghana great and strong again. I, therefore, urge every Ghanaian including members of government to acknowledge our common but differentiated roles and responsibilities in order to deliver our best service to build the Ghana we want together.”
Mr Mahama boycotted the national celebration in Adaklu in the Volta Region.
He accused the organizers of the event of turning the occasion into a political party jamboree where New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters are bussed to cheer up their leaders.
Mr Mahama stated that the Independence Day celebration is a national solemn day and should not be hijacked by a political party.
Speaking at the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Professional Forum Dinner and Awards Night in Accra on Sunday, March 5, Mr Mahama who is seeking to be elected flagbearer of the NDC ahead of the 2024 general elections said “I just came from the Volta Region, and just when I was leaving they were preparing to celebrate the Independence Day. I have stopped going to Independence day because it has become a party jamboree. I went to Tamale and they told GBC to take the camera off me, they bussed their supporters in and filled the whole stadium.
“When I got into the stadium the place was quiet, I went and sat, they gave me some corner somewhere, I went and sat there and they occupied the dais. When any of them came [the supporters] shouted.
“I said I don’t want to be part of this party jamboree. Independence is a solemn national celebration that is celebrated at Independence Square and everybody could come. Today, they bus their supporters in, they have party flags, and they are wearing party T-Shrts, I don’t want to be part of the party jamboree.
“Nkrumah got us independence, I am a Nkrumahist, I will attend an Independence Day anniversary any day if it is not hijacked by one party, it is a national day for all of us, so I am not going to be there because I don’t want to be part of an NPP Jamboree. You watch what will happen, they will bus their people there and occupy the whole place.”
