The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has marked Ghana’s 68th Independence Day Anniversary with a colourful parade and a call on residents to adopt a culture of discipline and transparency to improve sanitation and advance national development.
The event, which took place at the forecourt of the City Hall on Thursday, March 6, 2025, under the theme “Reflect, Review, Reset,” brought together ten schools from across the metropolis, including six basic schools and four senior high schools, who participated in the march past.
The participating schools included Saint Mary’s Basic School, Kaneshie Awudome 3, Bubuashie and Wireless, Accra Sempe, Richard Akwei Basic School, and Mamprobi Socco. Others were Accra Wesley Girls, Holy Trinity Cathedral Cadet, Saint Mary’s Senior High School Cadet, and Accra Academy Cadet.
Addressing the gathering, the Metro Coordinating Director and Reviewing Officer, Mr. Douglas N.K. Annoful, emphasised that Ghana could not achieve meaningful progress without a collective commitment to accountability, discipline, and transparent governance, especially in managing environmental sanitation.
Mr. Annoful emphasised that as the country reflects on its independence journey, it is critical to adopt a renewed consciousness that prioritises integrity, discipline, and collective progress, particularly in public health and sanitation.
“As we all know, our reset agenda cannot achieve the desired result without carefully safeguarding the health needs of the people,” he said.
Mr. Annoful stressed the need for residents to adopt safe environmental health practices, noting that the reset agenda could not succeed without safeguarding the health needs of the people.
“While Government takes the necessary steps to ensure the delivery of quality health services, we as a people, both young and old, should also embrace safe environmental health practices at all times.”
He warned against indiscriminate disposal of waste and open defecation, especially around beaches, urging residents to strictly adhere to disease prevention protocols. “We need to avoid throwing waste at unauthorised places, engaging in open defecation, particularly around the beaches, and adhere strictly to disease prevention protocols,” Mr. Annoful admonished.
“It is time to adopt a culture of discipline, transparency, and accountability,” Mr. Annoful stressed, adding that “our actions and inactions over the years have directly or indirectly driven us far away from the aspirations of a self-rule and self-reliant state.”
He stated that while the government, under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, was working to reduce wastefulness, corruption, and other unproductive practices, citizens also had a role to play in ensuring effective management of national resources, including maintaining a clean and healthy environment. “As we meditate on our forward march as a nation, it is incumbent on us to be truthful to ourselves and review the way we have conducted our affairs over the years,” he remarked. “Public institutions must be held to higher standards of transparency and efficiency.
The era of misplaced priorities and reckless spending must end if we aspire to build a Ghana that works for all and not just a select few.”
Addressing students and pupils, Mr. Annoful urged them to avoid activities that could adversely affect their development and instead focus on becoming responsible and disciplined citizens who would champion cleanliness and national progress.
He also advised the youth to take advantage of opportunities presented by Information and Communication Technology (ICT) while staying away from its negative influences, emphasizing that “the country’s reset agenda also includes changing the mindset of the youth towards a disciplined society.”
Mr. Annoful concluded by commending the contingents on parade for their impressive display, expressing hope that they would grow to become “responsible and useful citizens” committed to the vision of Ghana’s forebears. “Let us use this Independence Day Celebration as a turning point in our history, to rise above our challenges and commit ourselves to building a Ghana that truly embodies the vision of our forefathers,” he added.
For each of the winners, the Bank of Africa will open a Kids and Teens account for them with a seed initial deposit of GHS1,000 each.
