President John Dramani Mahama has suspended the rotational policy for Ghana’s Independence Day celebrations to reduce government spending.
According to Presidential Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the decision is part of efforts to cut non-essential expenditures.
“In the spirit of cutting down on government expenditure, on non-essential expenditure, President Mahama has instructed that this rotational policy be suspended,” Kwakye Ofosu announced at a press conference in Accra.
The government has cited high costs as the reason for the suspension. “Now, whereas the intentions behind that may be noble, President Mahama has asked that that rotational policy be suspended because of the need to scale down, and this has become necessary due to escalating costs,” he added.
This means the 68th Independence Day celebration, themed “Reflect, Review and Reset”, will be moved from Independence Square to the Presidency in Accra.
The government revealed that previous regional celebrations had placed a financial strain on the country. For instance, the event in Ho cost the state GH¢15 million.
Despite this change, the President recognizes the significance of Independence Day.
“It is perhaps the most significant happening in our entire history as a country,” Kwakye Ofosu noted. However, Mahama believes government resources should be prioritized for critical sectors such as health, education, and infrastructure.
“He believes that at this moment in time, there is a need to reprioritize government expenditure,” the spokeswoman concluded.
