Monrovia: President John Dramani Mahama, on Saturday, joined President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and the people of Liberia to celebrate their 178th Independence Day at the Centennial Memorial Pavilion in Monrovia, Montserrado County. The event gathered several heads of state from the subregion, including the Presidents of Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Guinea Bissau, as well as representatives from Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Gambia.
According to African Press Organization, Liberia used the occasion to honor ECOWAS member states that contributed troops to ECOMOG, the multinational peacekeeping force. ECOMOG played a crucial role in ending the civil war and securing humanitarian corridors during the Liberian conflict.
The ceremony, themed “One People, One Destiny: Healing the Past and Building the Future,” focused on reflection, reconciliation, and the creation of a united national identity. It emphasized the need to rebuild a peaceful Liberia, leveraging its rich natural resources.
President Mahama was accompanied by several key officials, including the Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, the Chief of Defence Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces, Lt. General William Agyapong, and Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Stanislav Xoese Dogbe.