Independence Square in danger

The Independent Square, touted as the second largest city square in the world may soon cause a serious disaster if steps are not taken to renovate the structural defects that have started plaguing sections of the national monument.

The edifice which comes next to China’s Tiananmen Square, in terms of size, now poses a fatal threat as its current state has deteriorated beyond imagination.

A visit by this reporter discovered that the edifice which seats 30,000 people has major cracks on the sides and rear of some sections of the stands.

The cracks are riddling their way through the edifice, and very soon a whole section of either the left or the right-wing stands would cave in.

The most affected section is the stands sited closer to where the Presidents dais is sited during occasions.

The metal bars there look rusty and unkempt while the whole place is in perpetual dirt and stench.

Cracks were seen all over the beams and walls supporting the Independent ark while the block on which the seats have been placed has also developed serious cracks with portions of the block fragments lying on the ground.

The current state of the monument leaves much to be desired and it gives credence to the culture of poor maintenance plaguing the country.

It is expected that actions would be expedited to attend to the defects to avert any form of fatality that may hit the country sooner than later.

The Square, called the Black Star Square, was built in 1961 by Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, to honour the visit of Queen Elizabeth II.

It is famous in the history of Ghana as it is the site for Ghana’s annual Independence Day Parade every 6th of March and other national events.

The square boasts of two monuments; the Independence Arch and the Black Star Monument also known as the Black Star Gate.

A statue of a soldier faces the Independence Arch and symbolizes the countless Ghanaians who lost their lives fighting for Ghana’s Independence.

It is a symbol of the bloodshed and fight of the people against oppressor’s rule and serves as a constant reminder of Ghana’s indomitable patriotic spirit and the love of the people for their motherland.