play videoPresident Akufo-Addo at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi
President Akufo-Addo has received several plaudits for breaking the 61-year-old practice of holding the Independence Day celebrations in the country’s capital, Accra.
Delivering the State of the Nation Address in 2019, Akufo-Addo revealed that the 62nd celebrations would be held at the Aliu Mahama Stadium in Tamale, Northern Region, to further cement the peace and harmony which they had obtained.
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Among other things, hosting the celebrations in the region increased the economic activities there as well as boosting the general economy.
Although the president declared that the venue of the event was going to be rotational, very little was said about the execution.
The capital town of the second most populated region, Ashanti hosted the 2020 celebrations, bringing people from across the country to converge in Kumasi for the event.
Many have hailed the event as largely successful, with several others keenly waiting to know where the next venue would be.
But, Chairman of the Independence Day planning committee, Lord Commey has stated that he is unaware of the order in which the rotation of the venue will be done.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb, Mr Commey explained that the selection of the venue was the sole discretion of President Akufo-Addo.
He cited that he was oblivious of the venue of this year’s celebrations until the president announced it.
“The selections are done based on the discretion of the President. When we went to Tamale, we never knew that Kumasi will be the next place so the president later informed us that he wants it to be held in Kumasi this year. As I speak to you now, I don’t know where the next one will be held,” he said.
There have also been calls by stakeholders to maintain the practice irrespective of the government in power.
Managing editor of the New Crusading Guide, Kweku Baako stated that: "I am in support of the rotation, I think it should continue irrespective of the government in power, it ignites a sense of patriotism in people and that is good, my only problem is the sustainability".
A governance expert Dr. Eric Oduro Osae, also noted that the independence of the Ghana sixty-three years down the line has been more of political than economic.
He advised that an L.I be put in place to ensure its continuity since it has had an economic impact on the country.
