By Christiana Afua Nyarko
Accra, Nov 11, GNA – The Executive Director of the Veterans Administration, Ghana, (VAG), Captain Ben Duah (Rtd.), has urged the media to help veterans promote the wearing of poppies among Ghanaians, especially during the month of November.
He said that was the only way to appreciate their contribution to the growth of the country.
Captain Duah made the call at the 77th Remembrance Day celebration held on Friday, November 11, at the Christiansborg War Cemetery at Osu in Accra.
He noted that the promotion of the wearing of poppy and its patronage was low in Ghana and asked the media to help promote its usage.
The poppy is a red petal symbol of remembrance that represents the blood of soldiers who died, especially in the First World War, which claimed over 17 million lives.
“It is sad our press is not even promoting it. I was in the UK barely a month ago and I was surprised to see how the poppies are known everywhere and people contribute so much to it. In our part of the world, people do not. It is most unfortunate.”
“You (media) are the best people to promote it; especially during the month of November… at least the pressmen who appear on set should be wearing poppies,” he said.
The event was attended by the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, Minister of Interior, Ambrose Dery, Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Goerge Akuffo Dampare, Greater-Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, Nii Nortey Owuo IV, Chief of Osu, Members of the Council of State, serving and retired officers.
The solemn ceremony also featured a parade staged by the veterans.
Some dignitaries laid wreaths in remembrance of the fallen soldiers, with the Vice President signing a book of condolence.
Remembrance Day, which falls on 11 November every year, is to honour soldiers of the Commonwealth who lost their lives in World War I and II.
Also known as Poppy Day, it has been held by Commonwealth countries since the end of the First World War.
The Ceasefire, which ended World War I, became effective at 11am of November 11, 1918.
After World War II, the Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day to remember those who died in both world wars, and instituted as a National Day of Remembrance worldwide.
GNA