(Greenville, Sinoe County, July 27, 2015)

Fellow Citizens:

We have gathered here today to celebrate another year in our statehood, the 168th Independence Anniversary of the existence of our Nation. It is a celebration far different from that of the previous years as we look back to the last year, to the true test of our faith and resilience to the challenges posed by an unknown enemy that our nation had never seen before. Despite those trying times, our country and its developmentobjectives have not faltered, and the fundamental principles of this Nation, dedicated to democracy, the rule of law, human freedom and individual dignity, were strengthened by our resolve to defeat the Ebola Virus Disease.