Retired Diplomat, Mr. K.B Asante has described the proposal by President Nana Akufo Addo's led New Patriotic Party (NPP) government to change the Founder’s Day date to August 4 as a ‘silly idea’.
The political historian known for his frankness averred that observing the birthday of Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah as Founder’s Day is a foregone conclusion and remains untouchable.
President Akufo Addo has suggested to Parliament to legislate 21st September Founder’s Day to August 4; thus September 21 would still remain a statutory public holiday but observed as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.
The decision has however caused an uproar among historians, academicians, politicians and others. But K.B Asante who worked closely with Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is enraged by the President's intention.
"I don’t want to consider the idea of changing it,” he rejected the proposal in an interview with TV3’s Bright Nana Amfoh on Midday Live Thursday, September 21, 2017.
“If you don’t know your history that you have all these silly ideas that Nkrumah not being the founder and find other reasons to support [the proposal]. He was the founder, we have decided on it, and that is the end”, he stressed.
He charged the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government led President Akufo Addo to busy itself with other important development in the country, rather than trying to change an idea accepted globally.
Proponents advocating for a change of date argued strongly that Nkrumah cannot be the sole founder of Ghana, insisting that the change would give due recognition to others who played critical role leading to Ghana’s independence.
Mr. K.B. Asante again indicated that August 4 in which the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was inaugurated cannot even be exhaustive as there are several other unrecorded heroes who were not part of the UGCC but contributed immensely to the country attaining independence.
Speaking onthe same network, Prof. Edmund Delle, Chairman of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), also stated that there is no doubt others played a significant role in Ghana’s independence, but like in other jurisdiction, the country has accepted that he [Kwame Nkrumah] is the founder, and that should end the debate.
He saw Nkrumah as a “unique” person who would forever remained great irrespective of what his critics do; adding “I find the debate needless”, warning that the CPP will with “immediate effect” change the date again when it comes to power without even batting an eyelid.
Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]
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Great idea, Nkrumah found ghana and appealed to another person to give his discovery a name. This man is suffering from dotage
Please everybody should find a dictionary and look for the meaning of the word 'FOUNDER'. that will settle this issue. From hindsight i am beginning to think some region of people in this country feel they did not partake in the struggle for independence so want to push all the struggle to Nkrumah. they want to mean, if not for Nkrumah Ghanaians will still be living like Zombies under our colonial masters. oooh chale! smdh!
But why is there so much insults coming from those opposed to "founders" in various words? What is the problem here? Nobody is taking anything from Nkrumah. The call is only for recognition for others who also were part of leading the crusade for independence. If NDC had instituted "Founders' Day" howbeit on Nkrumah birth date one could justify the resistance for the new call. Let's me more tolerant. Nkrumah could not have been the solo engineer of Ghana's independence. If this is true, i wonder why some want only Nkrumah celebrated and "Founder" and all his believers resorting to insults.
Mr known all please spare us the Nkrumah sycophancy. What is this?
Silly idea??? Senior citizen talk well, don't expose yourself to attacks.
If the supposed elderly statesman used the word 'silly idea' as quoted then I am afraid there is much to say about him and his character. To say we have decided he and who has decided? Anywat I rest my submission for now.
Old Age!
u are a siiiick old man, how can an elderly man like u talk by heeeeart like that, u have lost respect in ggana, an n,d,c man, from ghana people