Don’t Call Independence Day Wasteful While Spending Big on Inaugurations—Yaa Yeboah

Media personality Yaa Yeboah has criticized what she describes as hypocrisy in the national conversation about the cost of state ceremonies, arguing that it is inconsistent to label Independence Day celebrations as wasteful while defending extravagant presidential inaugurations.

In a commentary shared online, Yeboah questioned why some voices suddenly champion fiscal discipline when discussions turn to Independence Day celebrations but remain silent when significant public funds are spent on presidential inauguration ceremonies.

According to her, while critics often point to the costs of parades, security arrangements, and event organization as reasons to scale down Independence Day activities, the same logic should apply to presidential inaugurations.

Yeboah noted that a presidential inauguration is essentially a constitutional process in which a leader takes the oath of office and does not necessarily require elaborate stages, expensive decorations, long convoys, and other forms of pageantry funded by taxpayers.

She suggested that, just like Independence Day celebrations are sometimes proposed to be simplified, presidential inaugurations could also be reduced to a modest and dignified swearing-in ceremony before Parliament, the judiciary, and key state officials.

The media personality described the situation as hypocritical, saying national pride and historical remembrance should not be treated as expendable while political spectacle is preserved.

“If austerity is truly the goal, then it must be applied across the board,” she argued, adding that the country must either simplify both ceremonies or respect both as important national events.

Yeboah further warned that trivializing Independence Day risks eroding appreciation for the sacrifices that led to Ghana’s freedom, stressing that commemorating the birth of a nation should not be considered wasteful.

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If we are going to be honest and consistent as a country, then we cannot pick and choose which national ceremonies we suddenly call “a waste of money.” If some people argue that celebrating Independence Day is wasteful because of the cost of parades, security, and organization, then the same logic must also apply to the extravagant display that surrounds presidential inaugurations.

A presidential inauguration, at its core, is simply a constitutional process where a leader takes the oath of office. It does not require excessive pomp, elaborate stages, expensive decorations, endless convoys, and grand ceremonies funded by taxpayers. Just like critics suggest that Independence Day celebrations could be simplified, a presidential inauguration can also be reduced to a dignified but modest swearing-in ceremony before parliament, the judiciary, and a few state officials.

The problem is hypocrisy. When it comes to Independence Day, some people suddenly become champions of fiscal discipline and claim the nation must “cut costs.” But when it comes to presidential inaugurations, the same voices go silent while millions are spent on pageantry. National pride and historical remembrance are suddenly treated as expendable, while political spectacle is preserved.

If austerity is truly the goal, then it must be applied across the board. Either we simplify both ceremonies or we respect both as important national events. What we cannot do is pretend that commemorating the birth of our nation is wasteful while lavishly celebrating the swearing-in of politicians.

A country that begins to trivialize its independence risks forgetting the very sacrifices that built it. If anything deserves to be protected and celebrated with dignity, it is the moment a nation gained its freedom—not the theatrical display of political power.