6th March is an important day in the history of Ghana, it is set aside to memorialize our independence. Hence school children gathered either at a school park or a national park. “Ghana our beloved country is free forever” was an exact word Dr. Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah said on the night of independence. This year’s celebration was on Sunday 6th March 2022, the national one happened at Cape Coast stadium. In Prestea Huni Valley Municipal Assembly it was celebrated at St. Augustine’s S.H.S Park in Bogoso.
Speaking at the occasions, Hon. Isaac Dasmani (PHD) said that this occasion is celebrated to remind ourselves of the heroic deeds of our forebears whose toil and sacrifices finally broke the yolk of colonialism and gave us political freedom. He added that our 65years of independence does not reflect our present state of development he compared our level of development to that of Malaysia considering that we gained our independence in the same year.
He was however unhappy about the fact that despite our independence we are still largely economically dependent and this has made us subject to manipulation within the international community. It was for that reason that he found the theme” Working Together Bouncing Back Better” appropriate and relevant. He applauded individuals in the international diplomatic cycles and academic cycles such as Dr. Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General, Mr. Allan Kwadwo Kyeremamteng Dr. Frimpong Boateng, the celebrated heart surgeon, Prof Mensah Allotey, one of the world recognized mathematician, Adu Boahen, Prof Awura Ama Addy, and all Ghanaians who have held higher the flag of Ghana in the respective capacities they served in the international cycles.
Dr. Dasmani also highlighted some of the activities being taken by the New Patriotic Party government led by Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo – Addo. He said the government with boldness rolled out Free Senior High School which has helped bring tremendous relief to most parents across the country despite the initial challenges of the policy. In Prestea Huni valley Municipal Assembly he said, expansion work has been carried out on several classroom blocks to accommodate more students, the assembly through the government of Ghana has provided the municipal education directorate Sixty (60) hexagonal tables with one hundred and eighty – six (186) chairs for some selected communities, five hundred (500) dual desks and 500 mono desks has been distributed as well. he added that the assembly has been able to construct forty-eight (48) seater ultra-modern ICT laboratory dubbed “Yamoransa model lab 8” at Bogoso M/A school for Six Hundred and Sixty – Six Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty – Nine Ghana Cedis, Fifty Pesewas. (666,629.50). since the insertion of the YM lab 8, a lot of programs and activities have been taken place to promote the delivery of quality education in the municipality. Facilitating ICT and STEM lessons for over 14,000 students and their teachers under a well–planned timetable, training of headteachers in the catchment area on the application of multimedia to aid teaching and learning, training of pupils in computer programming (scratch application), and robotics training for teachers and interested individual, etc. are some of the major activities done
Under agricultural, he said, planting for food and job program has helped not only in ensuring increasing agricultural production but also providing and expanding employment opportunities for the teeming youth who desired of making a living through agriculture. One district one factory initiative is targeted at expanding available job opportunities for the youth. Currently the municipal is having this sign from the government. Again he said, the Ministry of Trade and Industry has handed over an Oil palm processing factory under the One District One Factory at Mfantikrom to the Assembly and the Ministry of Land and natural resources has completed a Gari and Oil Processing Factory at Huni Valley. He entreated the youth to desist from social vices which can lead them to prison because they are the future leaders. In the municipality teenage pregnancy coupled with the incidence of HIV/AIDS and covid 19 pandemic is rampant and appeals to the audiences to help the situation.
Story by Matilda Ansah