The third month of the year is very special for Akua (and Kwaku) Ghana. ‘Akua Ghana’? Yes, Ghana was ‘born’ on a Wednesday, despite the seeming insistence of some Saturday-borns and their accomplices, to take that honour away from Wednesday-borns!
Furthermore, as Ghana marks its 69th birthday on Friday, March 6, a necessary reminder: Ghana’s day name is Akua, not Ama, as appears to be the popular belief; thus, the correct nickname is ‘Akua Ghana’, NOT ‘Ama Ghana’!
I first made this point in an article published in The Mirror weekly in 2014, and have repeated it from time to time.
March 6, 1957 was a Wednesday; also, the day of the signing of the landmark Bond of March 6, 1844, from which the Independence date was derived also fell on a Wednesday! Thus, clearly, Ghana is an ‘Akua’ and not ‘Ama’, (Saturday-born).
(Signed with some Fante chiefs, the Bond is said to have “signified the first official moves by Britain to assure herself of control over the Gold Coast”. Also, described as laying “the foundation for formal British colonial rule in the Gold Coast”.)
If both the March 6, 1844 and March 6, 1957 fell on a Wednesday, how on earth does a Saturday-born name come into the picture?
It appears that the ‘Ama Ghana’ misnomer can probably be traced to either a 1981 highlife song by Opambuo International Band, or a Ghanaian movie whose titles included ‘Ama Ghana’; or both.
Apart from the Independence declaration, linked to Wednesday-borns, and the change of name from Gold Coast to Ghana, two other important observances evolved later. International Women’s Day (March 8) and Commonwealth Day (second Monday of March), added to the month’s cachet for those of us born in the Independence month.
Over the years, a number of patriotic, cultural and social activities have become part of the Independence Day commemoration, all under ‘Ghana Month’ or, officially, ‘Ghana Heritage Month’, which encompasses all March endeavours to fete the country. But who started that initiative? That was what I set out to find.
Unfortunately, in Ghana, it’s usually almost impossible to ascertain the origin of initiatives, who founded or created something, and I experienced that this week. But, fortunately, ChatGPT, an online search engine was able to assist, thanks to one of the many colleagues I had to rope in as I was frantically searching for the answer to what I initially thought would generate an immediate answer. My simple question was “when did Ghana Heritage Month start; whose idea?”
I came across much general information, but no answer to my question!
Luckily, in response to my desperate enquiry, a friend kindly did some deep research and forwarded the following to me:
“ChatGPT:
“Ghana Heritage Month was officially launched in March 2017 by the Ghana Tourism Authority.
“It was created to encourage Ghanaians to celebrate local culture, food, fashion, music, language, and travel throughout the month of March – aligning with Ghana’s Independence Day on March 6.”
In March 2017 the then CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), was Akwasi Agyeman. (He resigned in January, 2025.)
Earlier this week, Mr Agyeman explained to me the rationale behind the Heritage Month concept:
“We introduced Heritage Month to celebrate Independence Day and all the cultural activities around it. We also realised the need to leverage what some media houses such as Citi FM and Joy FM were already doing to highlight Ghanaian culture, and so we brought all these efforts together under one coordinated month-long celebration.
“So, this was to be a unified platform to showcase everything Heritage – music, dance, and festivals – while reinforcing national pride and teaching younger generations the value of their heritage.
“At the same time, Heritage Month was to be a strategic tool for tourism promotion by promoting cultural activities into a single calendar.
Heritage Ghana was a GTA initiative.
“I am happy that it has continued,” Mr Agyeman said.
The 2026 Heritage Month was launched at the Nationalism Park, in Accra on March 3 by Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Dzifa Gomashie, themed “Experience Ghana, My Heritage, My Pride (Taste 69@69)”.
She reportedly “underscored the strategic role of heritage in nation-building, describing culture as both a defining element of Ghana’s identity and a driver of inclusive growth.” (The Nationalism Park is located between the Independence Square and the Accra Stadium.)
Ms Gomashie acknowledged the instrumental roles of stakeholders, including the Ghana Culture Forum and the National Folklore Board.
For her part, the CEO of the GTA, Maame Efua Houadjeto, encouraged people to live and promote their heritage under the sub-theme, ‘See Ghana, Eat Ghana, Wear Ghana and Feel Ghana’.”
Undoubtedly, the Ghana media has shown creativity and dedication to promoting Heritage Ghana Month. Activities have included, not only programmes, but exceptional efforts by some media houses to portray and celebrate Ghanaian culture. For example, Ghana Television news presenters, have been appearing in traditional costume.
Among the noteworthy media events are Media General’s ‘Ghana Village’, opened at the TV 3 premises on March 2. Its highlight is a food bazaar, at which some 200 patrons are promised free servings of Ghanaian dishes every Friday during March.
There is also the fascinating ‘heritage caravan expedition’, organised by Channel One TV and Citi FM, with 200 caravanists in four buses, touring Ghana to know the country better.
(Notably, in 2019, the then Government of President Nana Akufo-Addo, started a programme to rotate the national parade, and Tamale made history as the first regional capital to host it. Thus the 62nd Independence Day parade was held at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium.)
Disappointingly, the Government has announced that this year, the national parade is to take place at the forecourt of Jubilee House, not at the Independence Square – a repeat of what happened last year.
A low-profile national parade this year, too, has been attributed to cost-cutting. Reportedly, holding the event at the presidency last year cost only some GHȼ1.5 million, as compared to an estimated GHȼ15 million bill had it been organised at the Independence Square.
While there’s no information about the regional and district observances, perhaps those, too, have been cancelled, or downgraded, this year.
The highlight of the March 6 commemoration has always been the parades nationwide, with the main one at the Independence Square in Accra, featuring smart school children at their marching best, the result of weeks of rehearsals. Their joy and pride are almost palpable, conceivably underscoring their understanding and pride that they, too, count.
I’m wondering how many school children will be part of the down-sized parade at Jubilee House.
Of course, normally few will question any pragmatic measure to save the country’s purse, but what about the disappointment of the school children who are being denied their parade participation joy? Was there no other way to save the country some money?
My view is that the downgrading of the national parade, cancelling the Independence Square one, is very regrettable. I believe that there could have been some creative budgeting to enable the parades happen at the Independence Square as usual; and nationwide.
Otherwise, how else can the future leaders be definitely involved? Independence Day should be viewed as an exceptional, inclusive celebration for the youth, if indeed they are our future leaders.
So, cost reduction shouldn’t be allowed to affect them; or the nation’s birthday celebration!
If truly the youth are seen as the future leaders, then there is every need to develop and nurture their patriotism, starting with, or including, them in the March 6 observance.
In any case, it’s curious that this belt-tightening is happening at the time that the country is being assured that the economy is doing well. In his State of the Nation Address on Friday, February 27, 2026, President John Mahama indicated that the nation’s economy is doing very well. So why downsize the main event commemorating the country’s Independence, and the one event which gives school children maximum spot in the limelight?
Next year, when Ghana marks a landmark 70 years of nationhood, I pray that the main parade will return to the Independence Square, with many more school children invited to participate, representing their peers. I envision them marching with heart-warming, patriotic zeal and joy, emphasising their position in the country and in its future.
Anyway, once more, for March-borns, including my good self, the third month has other important events complementing the distinctive significance, and charm, of celebrating Akua Ghana.
