Personnel of the National Ambulance Service in the Tema West Constituency came to the rescue of 30 pupils who went unconscious for relatively short periods during the 63rd Independence Day commemoration in the Municipality.

The medical team resuscitated and administered first aid to the casualties who had paraded for long hours, some as early as 7 am, in the searing sun to match past in commemoration of Ghana’s Independence.

Three of the pupils who were visibly irresponsive and were rushed in an alternating manner to the post of the National Ambulance Service were stabilized and later discharged after they were given medical treatment.

A total of 14 contingents constituting 588 students from public and private Junior and Senior High Schools, 28 teachers and 40 members of the Cadet Corps formed the parade at the colourful event which was interspersed with cultural displays, poetry recitals and drum appellations amongst others.

Chiefs clad in their traditional apparels, Heads of Departments, Security Commanders, Teachers and the general public thronged the Holy Child R/C Basic School Park in Sakumono on Friday to mark this year’s Independence Day.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr Isaac Abrefa Busia, Municipal Public Health Officer, who led the team of medical personnel to the parade grounds said the cases recorded were minor suspected to be as a result of pupils standing for long hours in the sun.

In a speech, Mr Francis Steele, Municipal Director of Education, Tema West, said: “the country’s Independence Day reminds us to exude selflessness as exhibited by our forefathers to emancipate the country from colonial rule.”

He said education was the bedrock of societal and national development and as a result successive governments had made it a priority, subjecting the education sector to series of changes in search of acceptable models to make education more accessible to Ghanaian children.

The implementation of the Free Senior High School (SHS), he intimated, had seen a tremendous increase in the intake of students, adding that the Tema SHS had recorded an increase of 30 per cent since the inception of the Free SHS with the Lashibi Community SHS also witnessing a steady rise in student population after its inauguration.

Mrs Adwoa Amoako, Tema West Municipal Chief Executive, speaking on the Independence theme: “Consolidating our gains, ” admonished the citizenry to unite, mobilize and consolidate creative and innovative talents to harness the resources of the municipality for its sustainable development.

She called on school children in the Municipality to concentrate on their studies and desist from social vices such as pre-marital sex, indulgence in gaming, unnecessary social media usage and drug abuse as such activities had negative tendencies could ultimately destroy their future.

“The future of this country belongs to you – our young ones and it is what you make of it today that will determine the type of future Ghana will have” she emphasized, urging the pupils to study hard to defend the sovereignty of the country with their knowledge and skills.

The Lashibi Community SHS and the TWMA 1 Basic School were both adjudged first for their excelling performance in the SHS and Basic School categories respectively.