“In the spirit of unity and brotherhood that this independence represents, I wish to speak directly to you, my brothers and sisters, in Bawku and everywhere in our land where conflict is raging. I do not speak as President but as your son and brother in whose hands you have entrusted a solemn duty,” President Mahama stated in his address to the nation at Ghana’s 68th Independence Anniversary Celebration Parade at the forecourt of the Presidency in Accra.
“The people of Bawku and other areas, it is time for lasting peace to prevail,” added.
The President reiterated that Ghanaian children deserve to inherit a peaceful land where their dreams were nurtured, not where their nightmares were relived.
He said they deserved to inherit a land where their markets were bustling with trade, not tension and conflict.
The President said Ghanaian children deserved to inherit schools that echo with learning and not melancholy.
“Let us not be swayed by division, mistrust, and the weight of past injuries. Let us give renewal of friendship a chance. Let us give peace a chance,” he said.
“This is not an invitation to simply forget the past, far from it. It is an invitation to live above it.”
The President said two years from now the nation Ghana would celebrate its 70th anniversary of independence; saying “This is our moment in history. We have endured trials, we faced challenges, and carried the burden of our struggles but we have never given up.”
He said through every storm and shadow Ghanaians had kept the flame of hope alive and now at this critical juncture they must rise with courage, determination, and unwavering belief that a brighter future was just within their grasps.
“Let us reflect on the great movements that have transformed the world, the movements that have liberated us from the bonds of colonialism, and the voices that shaped our path to democratic rule,” the President said.
He said it was ordinary people, workers, dreamers, farmers, students, the young and the old, who refused to accept the way things were; and that they marched, they spoke out, they struggled, and eventually they prevailed.
He said that from African liberation movements to the fight for civil rights, from the pursuit of democracy to the battle against poverty and inequality, one lesson stands clear; declaring that “when people unite with a common purpose, nothing can stand in their way”.
“As I said before Parliament, we shall live the dreams of our forebears in our lifetime. This is not just a promise, it is a call to action,” he said.
“Let this be our mission to rise above fear, to silence the voices of doubt, and to harness the strength within us to create a future that is fair, that is prosperous, and that is inclusive.
“Let us move forward together, side by side, knowing that every sacrifice we make today will prepare the way for generations yet to come.”
The special guest of honour at Ghana’s 68th Independence Anniversary Celebration Parade was former President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania.
Also in attendance were Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, former Presidents: Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and John Agyekum Kufuor.
GNA
