President Mahama leads Ghanaians to observe 81st Remembrance Day

Accra, Nov. 11, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama, Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, on Wednesday led Ghanaians to observe the 81st Remembrance Day in honour of the nation’s fallen heroes at the Christianborg War Cemetery in Osu Accra. 

The ceremony was attended by the Ministers of State, heads of security services, ex-servicemen, families of the fallen heroes, traditional rulers, members of the diplomatic community and students. 

Remembrance Day is observed on 11th November of each year to remember the sacrifices of Ghanaian soldiers who fought and died in World Wars 1 and 2 for global peace. 

President Mahama laid the first wreath on behalf of the Government and People of Ghana 

Dr Christian Rogg, the British High Commissioner to Ghana laid the second wreath on behalf of the Commonwealth, while Mr Mohamed Hassan Kaisamba, the 

High Commissioner of Sierra Leone to Ghana, laid the third wreath on behalf of Members of the Diplomatic Corps in Ghana. 

Lieutenant General William Agyapong, the Chief of the Defence Staff, laid the fourth wreath on behalf of the military and other sister security services. 

The fifth wreath was laid by Rear Admiral Peter Kofi Faidoo (Rtd), the Chairman of the Veterans Administration, Ghana (VAG) Governing Board on behalf of Members of the Association, whereas the sixth wreath was laid by a representative of the Osu Mantse on behalf of traditional rulers. 

The central element of Remembrance Day ceremony is the two-minute silence sounded by a siren at the Eleventh hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year. 

During the silence, all movements should cease, so that, in perfect stillness, the thought of everyone may be concentrated on the revered remembrance of the glorious dead.  

This implies that all persons at that very moment should cease whatever work or enterprise they are engaged in and stand at attention for two minutes as a mark of reverence to all fallen heroes. 

Remembrance Day is a noble gesture of acknowledging and recognising the servicemen who sacrificed their lives for the peace we enjoy today.  

Remembrance Day also underscores the paramount need not only to stop wars, but also to pursue the idea of peace at all costs and at all times as the only condition for the survival of the human race. Remembrance Day is indeed an international challenge to the peoples of the planet and forms the basis and philosophy of the United Nations Organisation’s endeavours.