Service For 25 Years of Democratic Rule ‘Waste of Money’ – CPP

The Convention People’s Party is opposing the government’s plan to hold a thanksgiving service to mark the silver jubilee of the country’s Fourth Republic.

According to the party, organising such a function would amount to a waste of the country’s resources.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) government announced on Thursday that it will hold a thanksgiving service later today [Sunday], January 7, 2018 at the Independence Square in Accra to mark the 25th anniversary of the country’s return to democratic governance.

The event, which is under the theme “Celebrating the goodness of the Lord” is meant to acknowledge the country’s stable democracy over the past two decades.

A number of political leaders have expressed varied opinions to the plan but according to the CPP, the move is not welcome.

The Communications Director of the CPP, Kadir Abdul Rauf Issifu told Citi News that the amount which will be used to finance the event will be a wasted investment since the ceremony was unnecessary.

“The timing is wrong… They don’t really intend to involve political actors. If they really wanted to, they would have given us at least 3 months ahead so that we start planning and thinking together. We have problems as a people in this country and since the NPP was elected into power, there are burning issues. Even their own flamboyant promises, they have not even met them halfway and Ghanaians are actually watching,” he said.

He added that, “the celebration that the celebration is a misdirected effort and also an attempt to siphon resources from the state into ventures that we think are not necessary at this moment.”   

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and the People’s National Convention’s (PNC) Bernard Mornah has commended the government for the initiative.

Sunday’s event is meant to acknowledge the country’s stable democracy over the past two decades.

A circular issued on the president’s social media pages urged guests at the event to be seated by 3pm.

Ghana’s 25-year-long democracy journey has seen the country being led by five different presidents including the incumbent, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.