Preparations are advanced ahead of the 63rd Independence Day Parade which will be held in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi.
This is the second time such an event is being held outside Accra after Tamale hosted the event in 2019.
The event which is on the theme: “Consolidating our gains” will be attended by dignitaries including Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Keith Rowley, who is the Special Guest.
President Nana Akufo-Addo and the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and other distinguished guests will also be in attendance.
There has been a step up in rehearsal as schools and members of the various security agencies prepare for Friday’s parade.
Clean-up exercises, debates and quiz competitions have also been held as part of activities to mark the event which will take place at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on 6th March 2020.
The Baba Yara Sports Stadium which is the venue for the event has been given a facelift as the internal and external facilities of the 43,000-capacity stadium have been polished up ahead of Friday’s event.
A member of the Publicity and Organization Committee under the 63rd Independence Day Planning Committee, Dennis Kwakwa said measures are being put in place for a successful event.
“I believe that the people of Ashanti, whether they are born Ashantis or they are living in the region have been known to be very hospitable. We believe that this is another great opportunity for us to tell people who we actually are. So, we want to encourage and entreat everybody that we are supposed to receive the visitors and receive them well,” he added.
He also assured that the event in the Ashanti Region will be marked with great cultural display.
The hierarchy of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Education Service are also playing frontline roles to organize the participating groups before the day of the parade.
An officer from the Public Relations Directorate of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), Commander Veronica Arhin called on members of the general public to respect all security protocols and comport themselves when they visit the stadium to observe the parade on Friday.
A total of 13 schools comprising five (5) Senior High Schools and eight (8) Junior High Schools from the Kumasi metropolis will take part in the parade.
Director of Physical Education (PE) at the Ghana Education Service (GES), Emmanuel Domenya told Citi News that the participating schools are actively involved in the preparations and the rehearsal ahead of the main event.
He indicated that “It is barely two days to go and we are doing everything possible to meet the standards”.
Some residents in the Kumasi metropolis say they are excited about the decision to choose the city to host the parade this year.
Food vendors are also taking advantage of the event to cash in.
One of them, Gladys Owusu said “The market has been good by God’s grace and everything is moving on well. This is even the period for rehearsal and the market is okay. We expect greater sales on the day of the parade.”
On 7th March, the Bukom Boxing Arena will be the venue for a boxing fiesta christened ‘Rumble @ 63’.
School children and members of the general public will have an opportunity to interact with the military to have some insights into their operations when all military garrisons throughout the country are opened on March 14.
Source: citinewsroom
