President John Dramani Mahama yesterday could not but make an open admission that the nation was in an electricity and water crisis.
He seemed not only concerned but also worried about the current challenges, promising to work with the utility service providers to ensure a solution in the shortest possible time.
‘Our economy is burdened with a major energy and water crisis. I have already visited Aboadze, Bui, Daboase, Kpong, and Weija to inspect and ascertain the progress of ongoing projects aimed at increasing our electricity and water supplies’, he said when he addressed the 56th Independence Anniversary celebrations in Accra.
Speaking on the theme, ‘Partnership and Innovation to building a better Ghana’, the President added, ‘We are working hard to bring this crisis to an end, and every bit of assistance will take us one step closer to that goal.’
‘While we await the complete resolution of the utility problems, I wish to make a personal and passionate appeal to you my countrymen and women, to demonstrate a high sense of individual responsibility by taking a stand against the abuse and misuse of water, electricity, and other public services.’
President Mahama said all those who abused utility supplies, either through unauthorized connection or through other misuse, created problems for everyone else.
‘We appeal to your patriotism and we urge everyone to demonstrate a commitment to collective responsibility.’
He added that the nation’s fight against poverty, ignorance and illiteracy was far from over even though Ghana had managed to win the fight against political intolerance.
The President encouraged Ghanaians not to waste time on petty political squabbles because ‘we would be undermining the growth of the nation’ and the respect that the nation commands within the international community.
He noted that in order to ensure progress and significant development, it was imperative for every Ghanaian to carry out their responsibility diligently.
‘Each and every one of us has a responsibility to make a meaningful and constructive contribution towards the growth and betterment of this nation. We owe that much to ourselves and to our children who will inherit this land and we owe that much to all those who fought for us to have a place to claim as our own.
‘Unless we demonstrate a strong desire and unflinching commitment to be part of the solution, most of government’s effort will amount to nothing’, he said.
President Mahama appealed to Ghanaians to work together as a team.
Touching on some negative behaviour which could run the nation down, Mahama said, ‘We cannot throw plastic waste in our drainage system and expect not to be confronted with floods when it rains. We cannot continue to drive recklessly on our roads and hope that our society will be free of vehicular accidents. People cannot pay and collect bribes and hope that somehow, public services will automatically improve. We cannot create markets for the purchase of stolen items and expect that crime in our society will cease by itself.’
Mahama urged all to be united to support the building of a more prosperous nation. ‘What can you do for Mother Ghana?’ President Mahama asked.
Double Joy
For the President the celebration was a double anniversary, as his wife, Lordina Mahama turned 50 years yesterday, March 6.
The Black Star Square was washed with the national colours of red, yellow, green and black star in the middle, as the nation celebrated her day with a grand parade of school children and contingents of security personnel under a bright weather and breeze from the nearby Atlantic Ocean.
Vice President Paa Kwesi Amisah-Arthur and wife Matilda, Speaker of Parliament Doe Adjaho, Chief Justice Georgina Theodora Wood, and Former President Jerry Rawlings were present for the occasion.
Dressed in a black and white striped Daboya Northern smock, with a pair of black trousers to match, President Mahama arrived to a cheering crowd of celebrants, who waved miniature flags as he drove to the cenotaph and lit the perpetual flame.
A high point of the ceremony was the trooping of the colours, done once in every four of five years, in commemoration of Independence Day.
Originally, it was a traditional British ceremony held every year in London on the official birthday of the Queen or King. Many soldiers on horses or on foot, marched across Horse Guards Parade carrying their ‘colours’ (flags), and saluted the queen or king as they marched past. Over time, it became a very colourful ceremony.
By Cephas Larbi