From church to beach parties: How 2023 was welcomed

New Year celebrations always come with a mix of activities and this year’s celebration was no exception. Many Christians had ushered in year 2023 at watch night services across the country and Monday January 2, was anoth­er opportunity to ‘let the hair down’.

As it was a public holiday, revellers found their preferred locations to ‘cool off’.

From the streets, to beaches and pubs, some residents in Ac­cra stepped out in their num­bers to take part in the fun as some jammed to records or live band music at various enter­tainment spots in the city.

Our Photographer, Lizzy Okai, was also out and about captur­ing sights and scenes at church services and selected beaches in the capital.

It was all praise singing at the Church of Pentecost, Kpo­biman Assembly in the Greater Accra Region, with celebrants dressed in colourful tradition­al clothes or already made dresses. The sermons projected a positive outlook for the year as worshippers rededicated themselves to starting the year on sound footing.

Patrons at the beaches were from diverse backgrounds and age groups. Singles, couples and individual families were engaged in variety of fun throughout the day or for as long as their energy levels would permit.

The depth of the celebra­tions, to some extent, made some people doubt there was any form of economic hardship in the country. These notwith­standing, the happy moments spent in the Church or at the beaches clearly had a thera­peutic effect as it bonded lov­ers, individuals, and families.

It is said that Ghanaians do not take their holidays for granted and, indeed, this buttresses the merrymaking as captured at various locations in Accra and beyond

 By Serwaa Marfo