Pupils and students from Basic and Senior High Schools including three Special Schools in the Wa Municipality and personnel from the security services took part in the 55th Independence parade in Wa.

The well attended and colorful event took place at the Wa Jubilee Park under the command of Assistant Superintendent of Police Edmond Nyamekye.

Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, the Upper West Regional Minister, Deputy Commissioner of Police Kofi Danso Adei-Achampong, the Regional Police Commander and Mr. Iddrisu Mahama, the Regional Director of Education, were among dignitaries present.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Sustaining Peace and Democracy for National Unity and Development”.

Alhaji Sulemana said in his address that it was important for Ghanaians to be reminded about the important sacrifice, dedication, will-power, and patriotism which were the underlying principles for the attainment of the Independence.

Alhaji Sulemana urged Ghanaians to renew their dedication and commitment to the development of the country in order to justify all the sacrifices made by the architects of Ghana’s Independence.

He commended the security agencies, teachers and students for the effort they put in to make the occasion a success.

He said the government had placed high premium on education, the result of which was the massive infrastructural development taking place in schools throughout the region and the country.

Alhaji Sulemana said within the last three years the region had benefited from not less than 270 projects under the education sector in addition to the 50% increase in the Capitation Grant and the distribution of the free school uniforms and exercise books.

Alhaji Sulemana said there was the need to continue to foster peace in the region especially in this election year and appealed to traditional rulers, religious and opinion leaders to renew their efforts to deal with all potential sources of conflicts, be it chieftaincy, land, religion, ethnicity or political.

The Regional Minister also appealed to the public to patronize the biometric voter registration exercise that would soon take off to enable them vote for their preferred candidates in the forthcoming elections.