Former Greater Accra Regional Minister Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus Glover has raised strong concerns about the reported GH¢1.5 million Independence Day celebration cost.
The outspoken politician shared his criticism during an interview discussing government spending.
Glover argued that the reported amount appears excessive, especially since organisers held this year’s national celebration within the Jubilee House premises.
He stressed that taxpayers deserve transparency and careful spending, particularly during a period when many citizens face economic hardship.
According to him, the government should have exercised greater financial discipline when planning a commemorative national event of such significance.
Glover explained that the presidency already possesses infrastructure capable of hosting official ceremonies without generating unusually high organisational expenses.
For that reason, he questioned how authorities arrived at the reported GH¢1.5 million figure for organising the national celebration.
“I have a huge problem with it because I simply cannot justify such spending,” Glover emphasised during the widely discussed interview.
He insisted that the public deserves detailed explanations regarding the reported cost associated with hosting the ceremony at the presidency.
Glover also compared the current approach with practices under former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration during previous Independence Day celebrations.
During that period, organisers frequently rotated the national celebration across several regions to promote inclusivity and highlight Ghana’s cultural diversity.
Cities including Ho, Tamale, Kumasi and Cape Coast hosted the national event at different times during those rotating celebrations.
Glover believes that this regional rotation allowed citizens across Ghana to directly experience the national spirit of Independence Day.
He also noted that communities outside Accra welcomed the celebrations enthusiastically whenever the government brought the national ceremony closer to them.
According to him, that approach strengthened national unity while giving residents opportunities to showcase local culture and traditions.
Glover acknowledged that organising large national events across multiple regions naturally involves logistical planning and additional financial commitments.
However, he argued that those expenditures often delivered meaningful returns through tourism promotion, cultural exposure and greater national participation.
He emphasised that decentralising the celebration created memorable experiences for ordinary citizens who rarely witnessed major national ceremonies firsthand.
Glover therefore encouraged authorities to reconsider the current centralised model and revive regional participation in future Independence Day celebrations.
He believes that such a decision would strengthen national pride while reflecting Ghana’s rich cultural diversity more effectively.
