Ghanaians in New Jersey Celebrate Ghana at 56
Ghana at 56 was celebrated among Ghanaians in the Tri-state area with dances and parties . In Newark, NJ, celebrations began with flag-raising at the City Hall on March 6 and climaxed with a dinner dance organized by the Council of Ghanaian Associations of New Jersey at the Ramada Hotel at the Liberty International Airport Saturday March 9. In a country reeling from acute shortage of energy and water and an already ailing economy making life even more stressful, the tone of the celebrations here belied conditions at home.
Flag-raising for African communities in the City of Newark has become a constant feature by the Mayor’s African Commission, and Ghana’s independence in March is always one of the first to be so observed. Held usually on the actual day of the event, this year’s flag-raising fell on a gloomy day marked by intermittent cold rains. A dinner dance that followed on Saturday, March
A highlight of the event was a formal presentation of police paraphernalia made to Chief Superintendent Aduhene, commander of Nima Police Station in Accra who flew in in time to join in the celebrations. Mr. William Awinador-Kanyirige, deputy permanent representative of Ghana to the United Nations thanked COGANJ for their efforts and hoped that the equipment would be put to good use to help in the fight against the menace of armed robbery in Ghana.
Mr. Aduhene, thanked COGANJ for the gesture and told the gathering that the hard work of Ghana Police has paid off with a considerable reduction in armed robbery. He assured Ghanaians that the country is safe and promised to put the equipment to good use.