Government is accusing the opposition NPP of deliberately boycotting the 54th Independent celebrations, despite an official invitation. Deputy Information Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa told Joy News the boycott was only a demonstration of the “true colours” of the NPP. High profile personalities, including politicians, members of the diplomatic corps, civil servants, school children and teachers converged at the Independence Square in Accra to climax activities for the anniversary, but no member of the NPP was officially present. The General Secretary of the NPP, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie told Joy News the party received the invitation very late for which reason they could not attend. According to him, the invitation came late Friday, at a time he had left the office- a situation he described as “no invitation.” He chided the government for blowing the opportunity to unite the country during such an august celebration. In reaction however, the deputy minister said the comments by the General Secretary could not be true. According to him, checks at the State Protocol Department, the outfit with the statutory mandate to handle invitations for such an occasion indicated that the invitations were signed for by one Kojo Opare Hammond on the 28th of February, 2011- one clear week before the event. “Clearly Sir John cannot be speaking the truth,” he said, adding the state protocol department invited all the other political parties before or on the 28th of February, 2011. That is why you will observe that the General Secretary of the CPP, the General Secretary of the PNC and their National Executives were all represented, not a single member of the NPP was present.” He said the NPP’s action was clearly to sabotage the event, a ploy that has come to be associated with the party. “…It is well within their nature, as they did 54 years ago when Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah and his colleagues were busily ushering us into independence, they had busily taken a flight to the UK to tell the Queen not to grant us independence and that Ghana was not ready,” he stated. He said the government would continue to extend the olive branch to the NPP to ensure unity, peace and tranquility in the country. He also stated the government was investigating the circumstances under which teeming members of the NDC were wearing branded T-Shirts with inscriptions "Mills-Mahama the team you can trust" during the national celebrations. He said the calendar for campaigning was not up and urged the party supporters to act within the rules of the party. Play the attached audio for excerpts of the interviews Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana