By Elizabeth Larkwor Baah
Tema, March 7, GNA – Scores of residents of Gbetsile, a suburb of Kpone-Katamanso Municipality have called for a change in the celebrations of Ghana’s Independence.
They said it was about time the Day was celebrated with handing over development projects at the district or regional levels to solve developmental issues in the country.
They said considering the current economic crisis, it was salient that the budget allocated for the activities to mark the celebration was slashed while some were channeled to the provision of critical development needs of the various districts to gradually solve poor and inadequate social amenities challenges.
They residents who were speaking to the Ghana News Agency in a random interview in Kpone and its environs said although Independence Day was celebrated in remembrance of Ghana’s liberation from the clutches of colonial rule, authorities must be innovative to add value to the celebration.
Madam Adjoa Yeboah, a resident said “the celebration of Independence Day is not as important as the social amenities we need, look at the roads in the community, at least if some of the money used for the celebration were used for the projects, it would have been helpful ”
She added that the “majority of the graduate youth in the community are unemployed, it is heartbreaking after spending years in school and you come out and struggle to get work to do noting that these were the issues”.
Mr. Francis Kojo Teye another resident said the budget allocation to the celebration was huge, while many students learn under trees, health facilities have no beds and so many challenges that were glaring.
He suggested that the money could be invested in the agricultural sector to boost food production and increase the employment rate.
“Ghana needs a whole lot of development while a chunk of the monies are used for activities that do not impact directly in the life of the citizens,” he stated.
Miss Joyce Safro said, “there’s more to be done, the leaders need to set our national priorities right and provide for it. I am not saying the Independence Day Celebration is not good but what is the use of it when the citizens are suffering?
Some residents however commended the effort of the government in reducing this year’s budget for the celebration.
According to Mr. Henry Quartey, the Greater Accra Regional Minister hosting a consolidated Greater Accra Regional Independence Day Celebration forms part of measures to cut down cost in the current economic hardship as over GHS1.5 million was saved.
GNA