.... at the end of the year
Accra, Feb. 20, GNA - Funds given to the Ghana at 50 Secretariat shall be audited by the Auditor General and made public by the end of the year, Chief of Staff Kwadwo Mpiani said on Tuesday.

"On accountability, I want to assure everybody that we are transparent in our dealings as required and will continue to do through the period of the celebrations", Mr Mpiani, who is also the chairman of the national planning committee of the Ghana at 50 celebrations said.

Speaking at a media briefing in Accra, he noted that the secretariat had so far received in pledges 34.6 billion cedis both in cash and in kind out of which 18.8 billion cedis have been received.

The Chief of Staff admitted that resources allocated to the regions have been minimal and gave the assurance that more resources would be made available to them by the end of the week to enable them fully participate in the jubilee celebrations.

Answering questions on the exclusion of political parties from the Jubilee planning, he said the organisation of celebrations of every landmark point of Ghana's history has been stewarded by the incumbent government at the helm of affairs.

He cited that 25th anniversary of Ghana's independence was planned by the government of Dr Hilla Limann and that of the 40th was planned and implemented by the National Democratic Congress.

He however, noted that the members of the planning committee were humans and bound to make mistakes, adding "we therefore take genuine criticisms and suggestions in good faith".

He stressed the need for Ghanaians to focus on the positive aspect of the celebrations and how to make the occasion memorable and successful to ensure unity among the citizenry.

He said all African Heads of States have been invited to the celebration out of which 16 have confirmed their participation.

Asked if former President Jerry Rawlings has agreed to participate in the celebrations, Mr Mpiani said he has been duly invited "... let us wait for the delegation sent to him to report to President John Agyekum Kufuor and let stop speculating."

He catalogued some of the events to mark the anniversary as "Telling the Ghana News Agency Story", the first news gathering and dissemination organisation in the Sub-Saharan Africa established on the eve of independence, Street parties and carnivals and commemorative parades in all districts and regions.

Other activities would also be the Miss Ghana gala balls that would recognise an event that has been part of the country's anniversary celebrations as well as live concerts that would chart the journey from highlife to hip life, and the re-enactment of the colonial power formally handing over instrument of power to independent Ghana before Dr. Nkrumah's polo ground declarations by Parliament.

He outdoored two commemorative clothes to mark the occasion, which comes in a special Kente cloth and a jubilee version of traditional wax print called "Ghana United at 50".

Part of the wax print, he said were printed in Ghana and China because the local companies in Ghana could not meet the demand. Mr. Kwamena Bartels, Information and National Orientation Minister stressed the need to celebrate the jubilee saying, "it is worth celebrating due to the fact that Ghana continues to play lead roles in the history of Africa and the country that also produced many great personalities like Busumuru Kofi Annan, as the first black UN Secretary General, among others.

He called on individuals and organisations along the ceremonial routes to clad their buildings with the national colours as Cal Bank and the Paloma hotel had done.

Meanwhile, Energy Minister Mr. Kofi Adda has assured Ghanaians of uninterrupted power supply from March 1 to 14 while government made frantic efforts to find lasting solution to the energy crisis. He also announced that government would meet the media next Tuesday to brief them on the energy situation in the country.