The Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Shani Alhassan Shaibu, was joined by Mr. Paul Edwards, Senior Counselor to the British High Commissioner and Northern Ghana Attache at the Ghanaβs 67th Independence Day Celebration in Tamale.
Under the theme “Our Democracy, Our Pride,” the Minister on behalf of His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, commended the dedication of the Security Agencies and the impressive turnout of school children, students, and tutors during the celebration. He emphasized Ghana’s journey to independence as a testament to sacrifice and dedication.
Highlighting Ghana’s democratic achievements, the Minister stressed the importance of sustaining and improving democracy amidst challenges. He cited significant progress in various sectors since 1992 and ongoing government efforts to enhance national development, including infrastructure and healthcare projects.
“We are certainly not there yet but we cannot dispute the fact that there has been very significant improvement in several sectors of our national life since we took the democratic path. Infrastructure (roads, buildings), health delivery, Agriculture, education, social protection and welfare, freedom of expression, transportation and indeed in all facets of our lives have seen some remarkable improvement,” he said.
He added that, Government continues to strive to improve on all of these facets of our national life, noting that last week, a team from the national level was in the Northern region to inspect and assess on-going works on the Agenda 111 Hospital Projects and was amazed with structures that have come up in towns such as Sang, Saboba, Kpandai and Savelugu.
According to him, the completion of these projects in Nine (9) Districts of the region will be a major game changer in health delivery. It will provide real opportunity for the absorption of more doctors, nurses and other auxiliary staff.
“Ghana remains a beacon of hope for Africa and our democracy has been applauded as amongst the best on the continent of Africa and a pride globally. We continue to strive as a Government to sustain this democracy and even improve upon it for generations to come. The credit goes to all of us Ghanaians, for this singular recognition by us all, that democracy is the bed rock of development and that we have a collective duty to sustain it into the future,β he said.
Looking ahead to the upcoming elections in December, the Minister urged for peaceful campaigning and emphasized the role of Security Agencies, Chiefs, and Imams in maintaining peace.
The minister stressed that “Electioneering and campaigning is about choices and should not lead to the degeneration of peace and security. Ghana has done it before and we will do it again. Our Security Agencies are committed to play their part.β
Mr. Paul Edwards, in his speech, said, Ghana’s journey to independence was a watershed moment not only for the people of Ghana but for the entire African continent, and it marked the beginning of the end of colonial rule in Africa and inspired countless others to pursue their own paths to self-determination.
“The United Kingdom acknowledges the complex history that we share and celebrates the strong bond that our two nations now enjoy. A relationship of equals, of mutual respect and of shared ambitions both for our two countries, and globally”, he added.
Expressing pride in representing the UK in Northern Ghana, Mr. Edwards emphasized the partnership’s focus on understanding and addressing the region’s unique challenges and opportunities, aiming for mutual growth and development.
The celebration in Tamale served as a reminder of Ghana’s democratic achievements and its commitment to continued progress and international cooperation.