Former President John Dramani Mahama was absent at the 66th Independence Day Celebrations in Ghana which happened in Adaklu on Monday, March 6, 2023.

Mr. Mahama has explained why he has stopped attending Independence Day Celebrations.

Speaking to the Media in Accra, on Saturday, Mahama said that he no longer attends Independence Day Celebrations because the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government has politicised the celebration.

He said that at one of the Independence Celebrations, he attended, personnel of the state broadcaster, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), were instructed to ensure that he does not appear in the broadcast of the event.

"I have stopped going to the Independence Day because it has become a party jamboree. I went to (the Independence Celebration in) Tamale, they told GBC to take the camera off me. They bus their supports in and feel the whole stadium.

“I don’t want to be part of this party jamboree. Independence is a solemn national celebration; we should celebrate it at the Independence Square and everybody who wants to come could come. Today, they bussed their supporters in, they have party flags, they are wearing party t-shirts. I don't want to be part of an NPP jamboree.

"Nkrumah got us independence; I'm an 'Nkrumaist'. I will attend an Independence Day any day if it is not hijacked by one party because it should be a national day for all of us," he explained.

He added that he will particularly not attend this year’s Independence Celebration at Ho because the current situation in the country, shortage of vaccines for children and many Ghanaians suffering, does not call for celebration.

Watch Mahama’s remarks in the video below:





Meanwhile, catch the latest GhanaWeb TV Election Desk interview with Francis Addai-Nimoh, as he discusses his plans to become the NPP's flagbearer, below:





IB/WA