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 was marked by the presence of various heads of states from the subregion, including the Presidents of Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Guinea Bissau, as well as representatives from the governments of Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Gambia.

According to African Press Organization, Liberia took the opportunity to recognize ECOWAS member states that had contributed troops to the multinational peacekeeping force, ECOMOG. This force played a crucial role in ending Liberia’s civil war and securing humanitarian corridors during the conflict. The celebration, themed “One People, One Destiny, Healing the Past and Building the Future,” emphasized reflection on the past, the need for reconciliation, and forging a united national identity to rebuild a peaceful Liberia, rich in 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.