We are happy to be independent now under a civilian regime. As Jesus said, the poor will we always have. We need to prevent coups and will be alright. Cynics believe there was no need for celebrations but we nned to appreciate independence at all costs. look at Iraq facing new occupation and colonialism. by the time the british and americans finished with them they will be in the throes of emptiness. The Europeans were in Ghana from 1482. The british came in 1507. Centuries later they left us with the outlying coastal villages, a small elitist universities, some missionary schools attended by children of intelligentsia and mulattoes. Roads and railways only reached resourced areas. politics was in the hands of the colonialists divide and rule tactics. Our economy fed industries abroad, having lost our gold, diamond, oil palm, cocoa, slave. No akosombo dam whiles same existed in colonial countries like UK. We built what we have now so be happy and enjoy your freedom, my dear

K.F. Amponsa-Dadzie, London, U.K.

Sabina Asare- Browne says: I was only four when GHANA gained independence, I came to Britain at the age of nine years and have virtually lived here all my life. Even in the early 60 s in England when one announced they were from Ghana, the pride and the repect and the recoginition which went with this announcement is so reminisent of the feeling I had watching the jubilee celebrations on OBE tv. What I can say is that the values of independencs instilled in me then is the same spirit that everyone Ghanain feels I am sure. I would love for every Ghanaian child from birth to have that sence of pride and liberation whether born in GHANA or Abroad. Every returning african desendant who is able to make embrace this richness of the nation will truly be free. GOD has blessed Ghana with everything we need to recognise this and move forward and to re inforce ourselves that any thing that is negative is not a true reflection of that great nation GHANA

SABINA ASARE-BROWNE, LONDON SW2, ENGLAND

Yes, Ghana have come a long way and I am sure on the surface it all looks very pretty. However, please awake and realise that celebrating on day of triumph whilst many people continue to live in poverty does not cause much to celebrate. I recently visited Ghana and saw a lot of unnecessary suffering.

Thank God we have reached this far, my only I hope is that this is only the beginning for bigger and greater achievements for all Ghanaians and Ghana.

God bless our homeland

Adjoa, Enfield, United kingdom

Ghana is the becon of Africa with flourishing democracy and a booming economy. All of which has been achieved by the Oxford educated Honourable President J. A Kuffuor. I urge you all to visit and make you mind up for yourselves. I was there just last week and o my what a beautiful place and people. You can always count on a publication such as the Times to send their journalists out to a beautiful African country like Ghana to find NEGATIVE information on this beautiful flourishing country which does not conform to the stereotypes of black Africa especially on the day they mark their 50th anniversary of freedom from western oppression (or oppresion from their forefathers - Times staff). Long live Ghana and down with negative reporting on every issues (stories) concerning Africa. Long live Ghana and their great and freindly citizens.

Peter Anderson, London,

Perhaps the best way that the west can help the African nations is not to help at all. It appears that by giving aid to Africa we are only creating a continent of beggars. Would it not be better to build up trade with these people? The entire continent has an abundance of rich commodities. Stong trading relations would surely serve to create employment and start to give them the best possible form of aid... self respect. Otherwise we find ourselves in another situation where poor people in rich countries give money to rich people in poor countries.

george, London,

Once again, we are presented with another example of the spectacular failures that decolonisation in Africa has heralded. Although my opinions are out of step with the current mood, we are faced with the fact that Ghana, along with Rhodesia and many other colonies, was better off, better managed and healthier under the Western Powers.

And although no country would volunteer, the UK and other Western Powers could once again step in and direct some kind of Economic restructuring that would reverse the dramatic failures of independence. These countries in Africa could once again become colonies of the West and see the massive economic benefits that 're-colonisation' would bring. And the results would be a damn sight better than those we see before us today.

Daniel, Manchester, UK

Is it a coincidence that all the people interviewed in this article are from the Northern part of Ghana? Here are a people who have had free education since independence and choose not to have an education. We must first strife to give ourselves an education. That is the basic we can have and then we will be able to build on with any others. No wonder the article has gone to the lowest of the low as if the whole of Ghana is like this. We have come this far and have celebrated the 30th aniversary which I can remember was when we were actually starving in the 1980s in Ghana. Why was the celebration not condemned then? The majority of Ghana are very happy to celebrate this day!

Jen Snelling, Surrey, UK

from an early ageliving in ghana to the present day living in the uk, going back home to see the changes the country is going through brings light to heart. though Ghana is not there yet , the struggle continues to a day we shall all look back and declare ghana as one of the shining black stars of africa.

william M, london, Uk

The problems in Ghana today is far worse than when we were under colonial regime. Our leaders both past and present have disappointed us. They think of themselves instead of the Ghanaian populace.

Majority of Ghanaians can`t afford to purchase basic necessities such as food, clothes and many others. Yet, the president who came to power with a lot of promises is splashing a huge amount of money on the so called anniversary. Our leaders don`t learn from mistakes that have crippled Ghana to poverty.

Our leaders need to grow and stop investing on unproductive ventures as Ghana is 50 today.

ISAAC NTIAMOAH, EDIBURGH, UK

It's bitterly disappointing that this most esteemed international media should find this to be the best way by which they can portray Ghana and Africa on her 50th Anniversary day for the world to see.

Surely these things they write about are true; but are there not people sleeping in the streets of London, NYC and Paris? Is this the best that they could write today?

Its a joyful day today, and not a day to portray grim and distorted images. These "truths" could have been reserved for another day. Even the BBC describes Ghana today as: "A rare case of success". That at least holds something positive for the day.

John H Amuasi, Minneapolis, MN, USA

I arrived in Ghana ten years ago for a two-year assignment as a Catholic missionary in the Volta region. I consider these two years among my best life experiences. The positive, optimistic spirit of the Ghanian people is perhaps their nation's greatest resource as Ghana moves forward with well-earned pride into the next 50 years. Progress is still progress, however slow at times, and each step forward is an expression of hope for the future. If I should ever have the opportunity, I would be happy to return.

Craig, Warrenton, VA

Why do the Western Powers go on making the same mistakes, over and over again. With the amount of aid which has been pumped into Ghana since 1957, the country should be among the richest in Africa. Yet here we see yet another example of the rich and powerful creaming-off funds for their well being. While the citizens starve and live in squalor the rulers spend millions on luxury vehicles. It is no small wonder that the citizens question what advantage independence from the former colonial power has brought to them.

Walter Coleshill, Pittsboro, N.C. , USA

"Nonsense. Check all the world capitals and see if there are no slum areas in the abundance of plenty. This is not exclusive to Ghana for even in the so-called richest country on earth, 40million people are without health insurance. People live in the tube stations in England just as much as WHITE PEOPLE live under bridges and shacks in the US. Nonsense again...for despite all that, people CELEBRATE LIFE. What in God's name is this article supposed to reflect? That we would have been better under colonialism or what? Or that simply because we have had a chequered history and people live in Sodom and Gomorrah, Ghana is failed state? Nonsense again." - BAR MAN

kwame, kumasi,

17.12/1957 The Republic of Ghana formerly the Gold Coast.Some slight hostility perhaps due to the new feeling of independence last March We are in Takoradi because the capital Accra has no port .We are here to hand over a ship to start the Black Star line, their merchant Navy. Kwame N'Krumah the president has lunch with the Captain he inspects the Ship clear decks keep out of his way. Ashanti chiefs in Kente gold blue and red and green and parasols and the Guard of honour Ghanaian and British, foot ball in the sun chasing the shadows they were so quick Star and Club to pour down the parched throats ,picnic on a beach with the rollers coming in, palm trees give the Ghanaian Navy recruits a day at sea Off Accra put them ashore by canoe..... Extract from my ship board diary HMS Bigbury Bay. Later in life I returned to Ghana and taught French in Mfantsipim College Cape coast and lived through the first Military Coup' Work and Happiness' in Beautiful Ghana popular song at the time

Brown James, Bourneville 27500, France

I have happy memories of pre-school childhood spent in a hilltop house above the sea between Sekondi and Cape.Coast in pre-Independence days, and of a three day journey by car over unmade bush roads through French Togoland to Nigeria. This involved a river crossing by car ferry.

The ferry consisted of a wooden platform lashed to empty oil drums, flanked by two huge dugouts, each paddled by ten men, and when ithe crossing started it was not possible to see the other side of the river.

dr venables preller, Warminster, UK