Veep Marks Parade

Vice President John Mahama VICE PRESIDENT John Mahama yesterday joined the people of Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region to mark the 52nd Independence celebration of Ghana's independence.

The parade mounted by contingents drawn from the Ghana Police, Ghana Fire Service, Ghana Prisons, Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), Immigration Service and students and pupils of the various schools in the Bolgatanga Municipality and some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) took place at the Catholic Sacred Heart Social Centre.

The police band was on hand to provide repertoire of local songs.

Addressing the parade, Mr. Mahama noted that government's quest to improve the livelihood of the people of Ghana, particularly Northern Ghana, was still on course.

He said the cause of the conflict in Bawku was well-known but the remotest causes could be attributed to the high level of poverty in the region adding that government was taking steps to improve the economic situation to make the youth employable.

Vice President Mahama indicated that government was establishing the Sheanut Development Board to ensure the proper economic development of the industry to put money in the pockets of the farmers.

“This is aimed at not only creating the enabling environment for easy processing of the commodity, but will also put more money in the pockets of those in the industry. But this depends on one major condition: Peace,” he indicated.

He noted that government was on course to improve and provide good healthcare, good drinking water and the provision of other social amenities for the total development of the country.

 He warned that trouble makers in Bawku and those who were responsible for the atrocities would not be tolerated.

He commended the chiefs and people of Bawku for their preparedness to live in peace while steps were taken to find lasting peace in the area.

 Mr. Mahama commended the teachers and pupils for their smart turn out, urging them to be mindful of the sacrifices of the nation's founding fathers and not be carried away by the merry-making aspect of the celebration.

The Regional Director of Education, Fabien Belieb, urged the teachers to be punctual to serve as models for children to emulate.

He said if the teachers do not serve good examples to the children, they would grow up to be irresponsible adults.

“Dear teachers, while government is concerned with the plight of teachers and doing everything within its power to make the profession attractive, I wish to use this occasion to make a special appeal to teachers to go the extra mile and help ensure the success of the children entrusted to your care.

“Let us change our attitude towards work. Let me re-emphasise that our punctuality to school and effective use of contact hours is still worrisome. We are shaping tomorrow's Ghana today,” he advised.

Mr. Belieb urged the children to be disciplined, eschew misbehaviour, avoid drugs and concentrate on their books in order to benefit from the quality education envisaged by the government.

Dignitaries present at the function were the Regional Minister, Mark Woyongo, Mahama Ayariga, the President's Spokesperson, Brigadier-General Joseph Adinkra, Commanding officer of the Northern Command of the Ghana Armed Forces, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Patrick Timbillah, and the Director of Operations at the Police Headquarters, Bolga, Naba Martin Abilba, DCOP Alhaji Hamidu Mahama, Upper East Regional Police Commander and other Service Commanders.

A delegation from the Central East Province of the Republic of Burkina Faso led by Pierre Bicaba, High Commissioner, Boulgou province, was also at the parade held to mark Ghana's Independence Day.

During Burkina Faso's 48th Independence Day celebration, a delegation from Upper East, led by the then Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, Isaac Nsor also attended.

The Regional Minister was officially introduced to the gathering.

From Wisdom Peter Awuku & Ebo Bruce-Quansah Bolgatanga