History of Republic Day in Ghana
Today, July 1, marks Ghana's 56th Republic Day. But what does it mean and how did it come about?
1. Ghana became a republic on July 1, 1960. Three years after gaining political independence, the queen of England's governor general left the shores of the country to signify that the Black Star of Africa had taken charge of its own affairs. This marked the end of British colonialism in Ghana.
2. Prime Minister Kwame Nkrumah was then sworn into office as the first president of the country, after leading the Convention People’s Party (CPP) to win the general election.
3. The day is a statutory public holiday and by convention, Senior Citizens Day.
4. Several pensioners will be invited to the State House in Accra to dine and wine with one another and top government officials, including the president.
5. The occasion also presents an opportunity for 25 million Ghanaians to reflect on the political strides the country has made from being a one-party state at the beginning of its republican status in 1960 through military interventions to its current burgeoning democracy, which is applauded by the international community.
How are you celebrating the day? Let us know in the comments section.
Source: YEN.com.gh