A grand parade of school children, security services, cadet corps and voluntary organizations was held at the Jubilee Park in Kumasi to commemorate the 55th independence anniversary in the Ashanti Region.

They numbered about 2,000 and were under the command of Captain Benjamin Nii Adjei of the Northern Command of the Ghana Armed Forces.

“Sustaining Peace and Democracy for National Unity and Development,” was the theme for this year’s event.

Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, noted the significant in-roads made over the past 55 years and invited all citizens to renew their faith in the country.

He said it was imperative for the people to play their expected roles well towards the sustenance of political stability, unity, peace and social harmony to consolidate the gains made.

Dr Agyemang-Mensah used the occasion to outline some development projects planned to boost the economic activities of the people in the Region.

These include the construction of the Krofrom Jubilee Market in Kumasi and two others at Tepa, in the Ahafo-Ano North, and Mamponteng in the Kwabre East Districts.

The government has made available GH¢28 million for the three markets.

The Regional Minister said he was confident that these projects together with other development programmes being undertaken in the areas of health, education and social infrastructure would help to significantly transform the living conditions of the people.

So far, 400 projects in the education sector ranging from classroom blocks, teachers’ accommodation, libraries, dormitory blocks, conference halls, science resource centres to information and communication technology (ICT) centres have been provided in the Region at a total cost of about GH¢55 million.

On the upcoming December general election, Dr Agyemang-Mensah called for civil and healthy electioneering campaigns devoid of insults and animosity and asked all to share in the responsibility of ensuring that the poll was peaceful, free, fair and credible.