She said it was time for every citizen to imbibe a sense of unity and patriotism, saying, “our ethnic and cultural diversity is a source of strength and not a weakness.”

Madam Owusu-Banahene said this when she addressed the regional celebration of the country’s 65th Independence Day anniversary, held at the Jubilee Park in Sunyani.

Pupils and students, cadets and security officers totalling 1,460 participated in the parade under the command of Captain Andrews Opoku Addai of the Third Battalion of Infantry (3BN), Sunyani.

A contingent of 30 basic schools, 10 senior high schools, four cadet corps and six security services (the Army, Police, Immigration, Fire Service, Prisons and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service) thrilled the crowd with their marching skills, security drills and demonstration of security awareness.

Madam Owusu-Banahene stated: “We have no option, than to work together as one people with a common destiny. Let us today resolve to build this nation, whether or not there are divergent views, we must first look at the national interest rather than our individual and sectional interests.”

For the awards, Ridge C Experimental Primary School was adjudged the best in the march pass, primary category, while Ridge “A” Experimental Junior High School and Twene Amanfo Senior High/Technical School (TASTECH) were winners in the JHS and SHS categories respectively.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency after the parade, Mr Eric Mills, Deputy Director in-charge of Operations, National Ambulance Service, Bono Region said 15 casualties- nine females and six males were recorded at the parade.

Five of those affected were students, and 10 security personnel.