The Tano South Municipal’s version of the celebration of the 65th Anniversary of Ghana`s independence was celebrated in a grand style with a smart turnout of school children.
The year`s anniversary saw an increase in the number of participating schools and school children who were smartly dressed to meet the occasion.
The programme which held at the Bechem Presbyterian Senior High School’s park saw dignitaries like Hon Collins Offinam Takyi, the MCE for Tano South, Mrs. Mabel Botokro, the Municipal Education Director, DSP Dan , the Municipal Police Commander, Hon. Asare Antwi the Presiding Member for Tano South, DO II Abraham Tarm-Sackye, the Municipal Fire Commander, and Nana Fosu Gyeabour Akoto II, the Omanhene of Bechem Traditional Area, Assembly Members, Clergy and Heads of various departments and agencies
Dignitaries at the function
In an anniversary speech delivered on behalf of the President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Tano South Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Collins Offinam Takyi urged Ghanaians irrespective of their political affiliations, religion, colour, ethnicity and amongst others to come together to address the challenges facing the developmental needs of Ghana. He said the existence of collaboration among our forefathers made them to attain Ghana’s independence. He further said, it was a privilege once again to address the people of Tano South on an occasion such as this; the 65thIndependence Anniversary celebration of our beloved country, Ghana. We have every reason to be thankful to the almighty God for how far He has brought us as a country.
MCE for Tano South giving his anniversary speech at the function
It is just appropriate that we pay glowing tribute to our founding fathers who led the struggle for the fight of our country’s independence. Their commitment, dedication, sacrifices and vision laid a solid foundation for the attainment of our independence on 6th March, 1957. And invite you to join him to salute the following personalities who led the fight and later got to be known as the BIG SIX.
Hon. Takyi said, the theme for the 65thIndependence Anniversary Celebration is “Working Together, Bouncing Back Better”. He made a passionate call on us all to work together as one family, as one society, as one community and as one nation, in order to bounce back from the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is an undeniable fact that COVID-19 has hit the global community harder than we all anticipated. Businesses have collapsed, investments and jobs have been lost as well.
However, at a time when the inflow of revenue to the national kitty has almost ceased, government decided to keep all public sector jobs, knowing so well about the troubling effect that decision would have on the economy. Government prioritized the lives of the people above impressive economic indicators.
Now, we appear to have made some strides in the management of the pandemic at the expense of sound economic outlook. To get the economy back on track, and bounce back better as a country, we all have different roles to play. I therefore invite everyone to put the hands on the wheel.
We know how to do it as a nation because we have done it before. As the President once put it, “we know how to bring back the economy, what we do not know, is how to bring back the life of the dead.”
I want to use this opportunity to extend our condolences and our heartfelt sympathies to the families that lost their loved ones through the pandemic. I also salute our gallant health workers who stood tall to save the lives of our people. I doff my hat for the health workers who unfortunately lost their lives at the battle field. He said, Four (4) candidates from the Ahafo Region who sat for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in year 2020 during the COVID-19 era were among the best in the country.
He informed them that, three (3) out of the 4 were from Tano South Municipality. Two physically challenged pupils from St. Joseph Practice Junior High School, Bechem and one from Methodist Junior High School, Derma .Thirty two (32) awardees from across the country received Presidential award last Wednesday, at a ceremony at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), where himself and the Hon. Member of Parliament, Hon. Benjamin Yeboah Sekyere joined their families and officials from Ghana Education Service to grace the occasion.
Hon. Takyi said, over the years, the performance of our public schools at both the BECE and WASSCE have progressively improved. For example, the BECE pass rate improved from less than 50% in the year 2016 to 98.3% in 2021. Some of our schools are logistically constrained. Some of our students study under strenuous conditions. Some schools do not have the full complement of staff, unfortunately, others have excess staff requirements.
It is in the mist of all these challenges that we have chalked this progressive success. I have no doubt in my mind that the story would have been different had it not be the challenges I have enumerated above. I want to use this opportunity to acknowledge the unparalleled contributions made by the Management and Staff of the Regional and Municipal Education Directorates and our teachers in our success stories.
Tano South received the national recognition in the educational sector largely because of them. They deserve a standing ovation because there is the saying that “if you can read whatever you can read, thank a teacher”.
He said, Bechem Vocational Institute and the Technology Solution Centre, have been enrolled into the government’s Free Second Cycle Education Policy. We have also initiated steps to have the vocational institute retooled with modern facilities in order to equip the students the needed skills and competencies.
He continue by saying, Government’s position on formal education in the country is clear and concise to provide an affordable quality education at the basic and secondary levels of our educational system. On behalf of the government, chiefs and the people of Tano South I thank you all as we share the glory, there are some disturbing issues affecting the youth and the active population of our Municipality which need immediate attention and concerted efforts to tackle Teenage pregnancy, the use of illicit drugs and HIV/AIDS prevalence rate. Out of 100 women who get pregnant in our Municipality, 15 of them are teenagers.
Hon. Takyi said, as you are already aware, many of our teenagers are of school going age. This obviously retards the smooth flow of their educational progression, and all the investments made by the government and their parents have the tendency to go waste if the situation persists. The use of illicit drugs such as marijuana, tramor, and cocaine among the youth is on the increase in our Municipality.
He said, a recent study by the Narcotic Control Authority cited Ahafo Region as one of the regions with the high use of illicit drugs among the youth. This is quite disturbing. There are communicates in our Municipality where the use of the drugs are on the increase. However, I want assure you that all necessary steps are being made to confront the challenge.
The Tano South Municipality tops the Ahafo Region with HIV/AIDS prevalence rate of 3% especially among the economically active population thus between the age 18 and 35. This means that with our estimated population of 90,000, about 2,700 of us carry the virus or have AIDS.
This figure is even higher than the national prevalence rate of 2.5%. We all have to be responsible but careful with our sexual life. We all have to be concerned because our very survival as a people, is under serious threat. Those who are supposed to take over when we are gone, are the very ones who are under the attack of social vices.
We have come far as a nation and have made significant progress in all facets of our national development but we still need to do more. Let us therefore eschew any negative tendencies in us. Let us pull all our human and material resources together and work diligently to lift our country out of poverty, ignorance, diseases, deprivation and lawlessness. Permit me once again to thank the Omanhene of Bechem Traditional Council and Nananom, Hon. Assembly Members, Heads of Departments and Agencies, Security Services, Teachers, School Children on parade and the general public for participating in the commemoration of the 65thIndependence Day Anniversary.