... reassert Ghana's leadership role in Africa
Accra, Dec. 6, GNA - Ghana's Golden Jubilee celebration is a unique opportunity to demonstrate to the world that the nation is once again championing the resurgence of the African continent, President John Agyekum Kufuor said on Wednesday.

"It is important that we shape up and put our best foot forward as a testament to our ambition to reassert our leadership role in the continent.

We have a nation to build. The important milestone must be celebrated appropriately."

President Kufuor was speaking at a reception held to encourage corporate and individual sponsorship of events marking the landmark anniversary celebration at the Castle Gardens. Five classes of sponsorship had been established, using the national emblem and the colours of the national flag, as descriptions by the National Planning Committee (NPC), a sub-committee of Cabinet, established by the government to oversee the planning, organisation and management of the various events, activities and memorabilia to commemorate the 50 years of nationhood.

These are the Black Star, The Twin Eagle, Red Flame, Gold Dust, Lush Green and Jubilee Class.

Admission into each of these is determined primarily by the total value of sponsorship either in cash, kind or combination of the two. The Black Star Class requires a contribution of not less than Two billion cedis, while that of the Twin Eagle ranges between one and two billion cedis, with admission to the Red Flame pegged at 750 million cedis to one billion cedis. Those of the Gold Dust, Lush Green and Jubilee are 500 million to 750 million cedis, 100 million cedis to 500 million cedis and 50 million to 100 million cedis respectively. Rallying captains of Trade and Industry to support the Jubilee Celebration, President Kufuor, said it provided the chance to forcefully establish the strengths and mutual benefits that came with imaginative and effective public-private partnership that was fast becoming the hallmark of the country's success.

He pointed out that the salutary lesson learnt from the nation's chequered history was that democracy and good governance could not be wished in only constitutions and fine parliamentary legislations. "Democracy and good governance are meaningless, if citizens do not make it a sovereign duty to protect it. We all have a stake as citizens and corporate bodies alike in the future prosperity of this country." Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, Chief of Staff and Minister of Presidential Affairs, who is also Chairman of the NPC, said it was incumbent on all to help make the celebration a success.