In her address, she said, I’m honored to address all gathered here this morning in Saan, as we join the rest of the nation to commemorate our Sixty-seven (67) years of Independence. This is a great milestone and feat we have achieved as a nation. It is only appropriate that we converge like we did today to acknowledge and celebrate our forefathers who fought and died for our freedom.
As we are here for the District-Level anniversary, the national event is also taking place in the Eastern Region – Koforidua. We must therefore be proud of ourselves for the sixty-seven years of self-governance, peaceful coexistence, and freedom we enjoy as a country.
This year’s independence celebration is made up of a series of week-long activities on the theme “Our Democracy, Our Pride”. In my own opinion, there could not be a better theme for this very important occasion. We have come far in our democratic dispensation as a country.
Even though we have had a series of military leaderships which came with its challenges, we have also enjoyed an uninterrupted democratic governance since 1992 when we changed to constitutional rule.
Ghana for the past two decades has always been described as the beacon of democracy in Africa and we must therefore be proud of ourselves. The electoral process in Ghana has led to a peaceful transition of government for the past 30 years among five (5) different Presidents. We know that is not the case for our neighboring countries hence we need to be proud of ourselves and work very hard to improve our democracy.
Our appreciation and respect for democracy have also made it possible for Ghana to practice a multi-party system. Though only two political parties dominate our political landscape for now, other minority parties have always participated in our electoral system without any discrimination or unfair treatment. Political tolerance and media freedom are core principles of democracy and Ghana’s democracy has made room for these items. We are very much aware of what is happening in other countries where opposition political parties are mostly frustrated and others are being jailed during elections. The same cannot be said for us here in Ghana and we need to be proud of this.
She said, democracy comes at a high cost, and I want to use this opportunity to thank successive governments for their efforts and resource commitment in upholding this democracy that we all enjoy today. Let’s come to think of the cost of elections and the resources allocated to the electoral commission just to ensure that we enjoy free and fair elections. We have had to sometimes spend more for run-off elections and by-elections which cost so much to the taxpayer. This is the real price we are paying for democracy, and we must be proud of its benefits.
The Nana-Addo/Bawumia administration has played its part in strengthening Ghana’s democracy and they therefore deserve some acknowledgement. We do recall, the relentless efforts made by this administration to allow for the election of District Chief Executives at the local level. This was a great idea but unfortunately, the well-intentioned initiative took a political twist. I hope that future administration will take a re-look at this very important reform in our laws which has the potential to further strengthen our democracy.
I want to also use this opportunity to express my profound gratitude to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana for the confidence entrusted in me by appointing me as District Chief Executive for two consecutive terms. This is a rare privilege that comes with a lot of expectations. My tenure as District Chief Executive for Nadowli Kaleo District Assembly has ensured that the District always got its fair of the national cake in education, health, agriculture, social interventions, etc.
As District Chief Executive, we invested so much in the last seven years in the provision of educational infrastructure such as school blocks and school furniture District-wide. My tenure has also seen a boost in the number of Teachers posted to the District and this has also improved the “Pupils-Teacher” ratio in our classrooms. The Assembly in collaboration with the GES Directorate has also implemented deliberate interventions to improve academic performances both at the basic and second cycle institutions. A lot has been done and there is still room for improvement. To our dear Pupils, you are the leaders of tomorrow, but you need to work hard to realize this dream. I therefore want to use this occasion to advise that, you avoid lifestyles that will jeopardize your future. We are in the era of technology and vibrant social media. Let us use these platforms to support our studies and education. Facebook and TikTok are not meant for posting pictures alone. They can equally be used for studies.
My dear Pupils, there is time for everything, and we must make hay while the sun shines. Let us respect our teachers and parents before it is too late. The role of the Teacher and parent is crucial in who we become in the future. We need to work hard so that when we come across our teachers one day, we can hold our chest out and say that we were taught by them.
On Cerebral Spinal Meningitis (CSM); We need to carry this very important message across to our families and loved ones. We are already in the heat season and meningitis is on the rise. As of last week, according to data from the health directorate, the District has already recorded some cases of meningitis, and some come in a very bad state. To mitigate the situation, we are advised to drink lots of water to get hydrated. I remember during COVID-19, we all took to the habit of wearing nose masks and this must continue because meningitis is also a droplet infection.
This means that if someone comes into contact with anyone with the bacteria, such a person can be infected through sneezes, coughing, or breathing. We are also told the meningitis type we are seeing this season is more deadly and as I speak, there is no capacity vaccine except for children as part of childhood vaccination. We therefore must recall the COVID-19 protocols by avoiding overcrowding during social gatherings. We also need to make our sleeping and resting places airy for the time being. On this note, let me once more pay tribute to our forefathers who fought for the freedom that we are enjoying today as a country.






