2025 Independence Day Celebration will be held at Jubilee House to cut cost - Kwakye Ofosu

Feb 12, 2025 - 20:35

Accra, Ghana - 12 Feb, 2025 - Ghana's Independence Day festivities will be significantly subdued this year with the annual parade relocated to the Jubilee House according to Presidential Spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu.

According to Kwakye Ofosu, the cost-cutting measure is a response to the hefty price tag of previous celebrations, which cost the state GH¢15 million.

He also disclosed that President John Dramani Mahama has instructed that the rotational policy of hosting the celebrations in different regional capitals be suspended, in a bid to reduce costs.

"Whereas the intentions may be noble, President Mahama has asked that the rotational policy be suspended because of the need to scale down, and this has become necessary due to escalating costs. It has been discovered after some review that the rotation imposed additional cost, and therefore, at a time when our national budget is severely constrained due to economic difficulties, it was not going to be sustainable to keep rotating the national celebrations,'' he stated.

''Indeed, if I were to put figures on how much it costs, you would find out that depending on where the celebrations are sent, there are significant cost implications. For instance, the last celebrations held in Ho cost the country a staggering GHS15 million, and every time it has been sent to a different regional capital aside from Accra, we've had to bear such cost.

"In the spirit of cutting down on non-essential expenditure, President Mahama has instructed that this rotational policy be suspended. In addition to this, the main celebration, which ordinarily would have taken place in Accra at Independence Square, has become the subject of some rollback.

"He believes that it is entirely possible to hold a modest but significant event to mark this important occasion without breaking the national purse,'' Kwakye Ofosu stated during a press briefing on Wednesday.