NCCE suggests April 28 to be recognised as National Holiday

Mr Ben N. Banye, the Upper West Regional Director of the National Commission on Civil Education (NCCE), has suggested that April 28, which is earmarked as Constitution Day, be declared as a national holiday.

He said if that was done, it would serve as a reminder that the constitution was the supreme law of the land and all must do well to defend it.

Mr Banye was speaking at the Upper West Regional launch of the annual Constitutional Week celebration in Wa on Thursday.  The Week is on the theme: “The State of Democracy in Ghana -2011”.

He said the Day should be likened to the Independence and Republic Days to help create national consciousness on the importance of the Day.

He appealed to Ghanaians to resist any attempt by group of persons or an individual who would want to use an illegal action to overthrow the constitution.

“In my mind, this day should be recognised as a National Day and given the necessary support by every government”, he said.

Mr Banye said Ghanaians must therefore not see the Day as a day for NCCE staff alone, adding that because for the 19 years the democracy had not been threatened and people appeared to forget the importance of the day.

“We should be guided by events of February 24, 1966, January 13, 1972, May 15, 1979, June 4, 1979 and the December 31, 1981”, he said.

Activities lined up for the Week are:  “The Judiciary and the Judicial System, how the judiciary has performed in the past 19 years to promote and consolidate democracy in Ghana, the Media, how they have played their roles from the colonial days till today and political parties – how far have they succeeded in shaping the political will of the people of Ghana.

Source: GNA