A mass and prayer service on the occasion of the 61st Anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Ghana was held at the Pontificio Collegio Urbano of Rome. It was presided over by His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah Turkson and in the presence of H.E. Ms. Paulina Patience Abayage, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Ghana to the Republic of Italy, and H.E. Mr. Joseph K. Akudibillah, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Ghana to the Holy See. The event was followed by a get-together with the Ghanaian community in Rome.

During her speech, Ambassador Abayage indicated that the theme of this year’s celebration is ‘Ghana Beyond Aid’, stressing the major objective of H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, of making Ghana a ‘self-reliant’ country, with the ability of harnessing the country’s wealth through its own means. She further urged the Ghanaian community to be ‘dedicated to this cause’, and help the President achieve this aim, especially considering the plethora of natural resources of the country.