He made this observation in a speech to commemorate Ghana's 60th anniversary at the Tema Sports Stadium which was on the theme "mobilizing for Ghana's future". Mr. Nortey said hard work, dedication to duty and commitment were needed to bring Ghanaians the gains they sought.

"We have a bright future and we must mobilize all our resources and all our strengths to get to that prosperous land faster," he said.  He hinted on the need to preserve our environment as a way of appreciating our fore-fathers and leaving a legacy for future generations adding, "We cannot ignore the state of our environment. We are endangering the life and security of the land that our forebears bequeath to us. The dense forest that were home to many trees, plants and fauna has suddenly disappeared".

He lamented the situation in which Ghana import timber for her wood industry which undermines the description of Ghana as falling within the tropical rain forest zone.He again showed concern about the disappearing of Ghanaian water bodies and the polluting of existing ones.

The Metropolitan Director of Education for Tema, Mrs. Margaret Frempong-Kore, said the major tool required to effectively and efficiently mobilize for the future is a solid education of citizens.

"I therefore urge teachers to produce graduates who are educated in the three domains namely the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective," she said and urged educationists to provide a holistic training to the young ones since "education will make them physically fit, morally upright, socially acceptable and psychologically balanced."

She tasked teachers to encourage young ones to be patriotic, eschew laziness and mediocre, accept responsibilities and execute them to the best of their abilities. In an interview with the Ghana New Agency, Mr. Anthony Sam-Aoom, Assemblyman for the Republic Electoral area, Community four, Tema, observed how Tema had changed drastically, from bad to worse.

A total number of 1,800 students and 60 teachers selected from basic and second cycle institutions within the Metropolis were on parade, and music was provided by the Tema Diocesan Methodist Brigade band.

The occasion was also graced by Tema regional and district service commanders, chiefs, Members of Parliament, Assemblymen, among others.