Ghana’s 68th Independence Day celebrations will be a subdued affair this year, with the government opting for a scaled-down event to reduce costs.
According to Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister of State in charge of Government Communication, this year’s celebrations will cost only a tenth of the GH₵15 million spent last year.
The event, set to take place at Jubilee House on March 6, will feature a significantly reduced number of participants.
“In the past, there were 60 contingents made up of 60 men and women each. So we are talking close to 3,600 men and women and thousands of children who march,” Kwakye Ofosu explained.
“Now, everything has been scaled down to a little over 500 people. That includes both security personnel and schoolchildren who will be performing,” he added.
Despite the reduced scale, Kwakye Ofosu emphasized that the significance of the occasion remains unchanged.
“The scaled-down events in no way undermine the significance of the day. The Independence Day celebration is one that President Mahama takes very seriously. He believes it must be celebrated, but in a manner that allows us to make savings that can be redirected into other areas of expenditure,” he stated.