Ashaiman, Jan 19, GNA - The management, staff and pupils of Martin Luther King Junior Schools in Tema and Ashaiman have proposed that Martin Luther King's Day be celebrated annually in Ghana. Every third Monday in January of each year has been set aside in the United States to honour the life and achievements of the Rev Martin Luther King, the late civil rights leader. A six-point petition presented to bodies including the National Commission for Civic Education, the Ministries of Information and Chieftaincy and Culture and the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly said celebrating the day would keep alive the dreams of the late the Rev King.

The petition said Japan and China had taken strong hold of the Rev King's dreams and continue to remember him. It said Africa, the land from which Luther originated, had failed to give recognition to his noble vision and to live up to this vision. "We should immortalize him by celebrating his day as is done in the United States."

The petition was also of the view that the celebration would help promote equal rights and justice among all races. It said as a school "we believe that the celebration of Martin Luther King's day in Ghana, the gateway to Africa, will strengthen the relationship between the US and African nations." The Rev King, who fought against segregation in the US, was born on January 15, 1929 and was assassinated on April 4, 1968. In 1964, Luther became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to end racial segregation and racial discrimination through non-violent means. He was in Ghana and participated in the country's independence celebration on March 06 1957 at the invitation of late President Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.