The Northern Regional Minister, Mr Salifu Saeed, on Saturday, 16 February 2019 participated in a clean-up exercise organised in the Sagnarigu municipal area ahead of this year’s national parade to mark Independence Day.

Residents of the regional capital, Tamale, joined the Sagnarigu Municipal Chief Executive, Iddrisu Mariam and the regional minister to clean up the city, as part of activities outlined for the commemoration of the 62nd independence anniversary.

The national parade is moving outside Accra, the capital of Ghana, for the first time in history and the Northern Region is expected to host it.

The planning committee selected the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale for the event.

Speaking exclusively to Class news during the exercise, Mr Saeed expressed excitement about what he considers a privilege for the first-ever outside-Accra hosting of the national independence parade.

Mr Saeed said he hopes the event will attract potential investors to the area.

The students, he said, have been rehearsing for the march past, which is the highlight of the parade.

“Then also, the security agencies are doing their work. We want to ensure that the roundabouts, the principal streets, we paint them in white colours. We will do a lot of activities that would make Tamale beautiful for the celebration”, he stated.

According to Mr Saeed, raw and true northern cultural dances would be showcased on the day of the anniversary. “You will see a Fire Dance, you will see the Damba and others; all of them, it will be displayed for people to know that in Ghana, if you want to see the best in culture, then it is in the north and for that matter, in Tamale and Dagbon”.

He also challenges the other regions to prove themselves worthy of hosting the national parade, adding that the Northern Region has become the pacesetter and would prove its worthiness so that the president would allow the parade to be rotated among the regions.

Mr Saeed indicated that the Overlord of Dagbon, Ya Na Abukari II and all paramount chiefs in the region, will be on stage to support President Nana Akufo-Addo to perform this year’s celebration.