Ghana@50: Low enthusiasm in Tema

Tema is gradually loosing out of the little euphoria and enthusiasm that appears to have characterized the Ghana@50 celebrations, two (2) weeks to March 6.

Interactions dailyEXPRESS had with a cross section of the residents of the municipality revealed a 'minding our business' attitude. Some shops and street vendors are however displaying and selling the national flag.

Maame Yaa is a plantain seller at the Tema Community 1 market and in her mid-fifty's. She told this paper that as far as she is concerned nothing is going on. Not even a reminder that publicity on celebration and specific events has been going on could hold any sway.

“Well, publicity is going on but not here in Tema. Do you see any meaningful thing going on in connection with the celebration apart from the small boys making business out the flags they sell?” she asked rhetorically in Twi.

She is however not the only one with such views. Many others were equally less enthused about the celebration in the municipality. A taxi driver at the Tema Community Five station said though he is aware something is going on, everything is concentrated in Accra.

“The whole exercise is in Accra. Apart from what you see (pointing to a flag hoisted on top of a public toilet) and a couple of others nothing seems to be going on,” he said.

Only one out of five houses, on the average, has the national flag hoisted on its roof. The rest have flags of their respective football clubs. A gentleman at a mobile phone repair shop near the Areeba main office at Community 4 said he would prefer to hoist his club flag.

Some workers at the Tema Municipal Assembly, the seat of governance at the local level, told dailyEXPRESS that they are not sure of the activities earmarked by the Assembly for the celebration apart from 6th March parade.

“We do not know what will be taking place here at the local level, apart from what we already know will be happening at the Independence square,” a security officer told the paper.

The Assembly meanwhile has displayed a huge flag at its entrance. But it appears that is not enough as I later learnt. “This is the only flag here,” another worker told me. But she was however hopeful that as the day draws closer more of such flags will be seen.

But it appears the situation is not all that gloomy as the paper was to learn. Some offices I visited displayed flags with the anniversary logo.

A worker at one of the banks on a Good Friday was dressed in the colours of the national flag.

“This is our year and we have so much to thank God for,” he said.