Bolgatanga, Feb. 20, GNA - The Freedom Flame that was lit in Wa a couple of days ago as part of activities heralding the 50th anniversary of Ghana's independence, arrived in Bolgatanga on Tuesday morning. As early as 0700 hours, children from basic and second-cycle schools in the Bolgatanga Municipality lined up on the Bolgatanga/Navrongo main road.

Mr. Alastas Anderson of Hughes Hospitalities company, who are conducting the Freedom Flame event on behalf of the Ghana @ 50 Secretariat, symbolically handed over the torch to Mr. Boniface Gambila, Upper East Regional Minister.

The Regional Minister ignited the torch and led a procession comprising District Chief executives, heads of departments, security agencies and school children through the principal streets of Bolgatanga amid brass band music.

The procession ended at the St. John's Park where people from all walks of life had converged to catch a glimpse of the flame.

Mr. Gambila urged Ghanaians to put aside partisan politics and come together to demonstrate to the world that Ghana was indeed the beacon of hope for Africa by participating actively in the 50th anniversary celebrations.

"Let us see the occasion as an opportunity to open a new chapter that would revive our sense of unity as Ghanaians so that together we can fight poverty which is our common enemy and push our nation on towards the achievement of a middle income status by the year 2015," he said.

Mrs. Alberta Hughes, who spoke on behalf of the organizers of the event, explained that the Freedom Flame journey symbolizes unity, harmony and goodwill and represents the heritage of independence from colonial oppression which the nation's forebears fought for and won. "The light of the torch shall provide a glow by which we can clearly see the path of our future development."

She urged Ghanaians to view the Freedom Flame idea as a call for reawakening and an inspiration to "make our freedom meaningful by pushing ourselves to the highest limits mankind could strive for, whether physically, mentally or spiritually."

The torch, which leaves Bolgatanga to Tamale this afternoon, is expected to travel through the length and breadth of the country. Its journey would end up on March 5, 2007 at the Polo Grounds in Accra where an enactment of the Declaration of Independence would take place.