Accra, Feb.15, GNA- Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama on Thursday joined a number of people, including ministers of state and pupils from Accra Metropolis to mark the official countdown towards the country's 50th independence anniversary in Accra.
Mrs Theodosia Okoh, the designer of the national flag and Mr Ernest Debrah, Minister of Food and Agriculture were among those who joined the Vice President to hoist the national flag at the Independence Square.
The event dubbed: "Rally Round The Flag Day," which was organised by the National Planning Committee for the Golden Jubilee celebrations, attracted Mr Hackman Owusu Agyemang, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Ms Gloria Akuffo, Minister of State In-Charge of Aviation, Mrs Oboshie Sai-Cofie, Deputy Minister of Information and National Orientation and Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Minister of State who assisted in hoisting the 10 flags at the independence square.
The event was preceded by a float through the principal streets of Accra to display the national colours, the distribution of the flags to schoolchildren who waved them enthusiastically.
Vice President, who inspected a Police Guard of Honour after his arrival at the Square, later addressed the gathering where he asked Ghanaians to use the Golden Jubilee celebrations to forge national unity to facilitate development.
"Today marks the forward march of our 50th anniversary. We are all people of one nation and we should all participate in the anniversary to hold the nation together and lead the nation to prosperity." Mrs Okoh, who would turn 85, in June this year could not recall her age when she designed the flag.
She however, expressed joy about the event and asked Ghanaians to unite to ensure a successful anniversary.