Speaking in separate interviews with the Daily Graphic, the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Asiedu Nketia, the 2016 Presidential Candidate for the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Mr Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, and the Presidential Candidate for the People's National Convention (PNC) in the 2016 election, Dr Edward N. Mahama, said Ghana’s 60th anniversary was worth celebrating despite the development challenges over the years.

Other political leaders the Daily Graphic spoke with during the Independence Day celebration in Accra last Monday were the leader of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Mr Kofi Akpaloo.

Interviews

Mr Nketia said over the years Ghana had worked hard to become an oasis of peace, democracy; as well as religious and ethnic tranquillity to the admiration of the world.

The national tranquillity, he said, was not achieved on a silver platter and, therefore, gave a cause to Ghanaians to celebrate 60 years of the country’s political independence.

“And for that alone we should be grateful to God and celebrate, but we must remain focused on pursuing our development agenda. Although there is more to be done in terms of socio-economic development and infrastructural development, it is an undeniable fact that the country has made so much progress which gives meaning to celebrating 60 years of independence,” he said.

Mr Nketia said considering the enormous natural and human resources the country was endowed with, it was obvious that in terms of development “we are not there yet,” but there was every indication that gradually Ghana would get there.

He said Ghana's 60 years of self-rule had witnessed many positives and negatives and it was, therefore, incumbent upon the nation to make a self-assessment of the past to see where we fell short so as to make amends.

Growing democracy

Making his contribution, Dr Edward Mahama did not mince words by saying those 60 years of freedom and growing democracy were worth celebrating.

He said the political serenity the country was enjoying alone gave much cause for celebration.

He was of the opinion that such political tranquillity gave the foundation for any meaningful development to be achieved.

“I have friends from neighbouring countries who are practising here as medical practitioners due to the tranquillity the country has been blessed with. Not all countries have this privilege and, therefore, we need to celebrate.’’

Dr Mahama was quick to add that as we celebrated the country’s 60th independence anniversary, it should be a time of serious reflection to ensure that measures are put in place to address any gap in national development.  

More interviews

Mr Ivor Kobina Greenstreet was of the opinion that although the diamond jubilee was worth celebrating, Ghana could have done better in terms of its development at age 60, considering its vast natural and human resources.

“Although Ghana is doing very well in comparison to other countries, there is more to be done," he said. With the vast natural and human resources the country is endowed with, there is more room for improvement,” he added.

Mr Greenstreet said the country must look back and assess the county’s development performance. With a little more fiscal discipline, unity, commitment and focus, he said, a new and robust development path could be charted to accelerate the country’s development. He added that going forward, we must look at an integrated national effort to maximise the country’s human and natural resources to propel the needed development.

Contrary to the views of the earlier speakers, Mr Akpaloo was of the opinion that Ghana had nothing to show for its 60 years of independence.

He described the country as an average Ghanaian pensioner, who was retiring without anything to show for the years of hard work.

“Look around, there is nothing much we can be proud of after 60 years of political independence,” he said.

Some traders, teachers and participants in the diamond jubilee celebration in Accra acknowledged that Ghana had come a long way in its development agenda since independence and its citizens needed to be grateful to God and celebrate the country’s 60 years of political independence.