CPP, NDC Fight NPP Over Founder’s Day

THE 108th birthday anniversary of Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, was marked yesterday, with a debate over who actually founded Ghana taking the centre stage during the celebration.

At Dr. Nkrumah’s Convention People’s Party (CPP) headquarters in Accra – where the party’s supporters and sympathizers, as well as leading members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) like Lee Ocran and Samuel Ofosu Ampofo rallied – the world was told that nobody but Nkrumah founded and liberated Ghana from colonial rule.

That is contrary to the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP’s) position. The party has stressed that many people such as Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia, Sir Paa Grant, William Ofori-Atta, among others, contributed to the independence struggle of the country and must equally be celebrated.

Speaking at the ceremony, CPP’s leader and chairman, Professor Edmund Delle, expressed the party’s disappointment in the President Akufo-Addo-led NPP administration in proposing a change of date for the celebration of the Founder’s Day from September 21 – being Nkrumah’s birthday – to August 4th – a day the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), the first political movement in Ghana, was formed.

A Legislative Instrument (LI) was recently put before parliament by President Akufo-Addo to effect the change of date for the annual celebration of the Founder’s Day.

When the LI is enacted, August 4th, according to a communication from the presidenc, shall be used to honour all the individuals who toiled for the liberation of Ghana from colonial forces, while September 21 will be rechristened Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.

But the CPP and the NDC say the move by the NPP administration is a deliberate attempt to distort the history of Ghana.

According to Prof. Delle, “Osagyefo is the main architect of Ghana’s independence and the foundational stone of modern Ghana, African and emancipation of the black race.”

Lamentation

“The CPP considers as unfortunate recent attempts by reactionary forces to once again attempt to re-write the history of Ghana and water down the contribution of Dr. Nkrumah to the emancipation of the Black man as well as Ghana’s independence,” he lamented.

In a solidarity message on behalf of NDC, former minister of education and leading member of the NDC, Lee Ocran, expressed the party’s readiness to resist any attempt by the NPP or any other political grouping to change the position of Nkrumah in the history of Ghana, saying, “Nobody can ever change his (Nkrumah’s) position.”

Independence Goal

On his party, journalist and Nkrumahist, Kwesi Pratt, described Kwame Nkrumah “as the greatest son of Africa.”

While pointing out the need for Nkrumah to be credited as the founder of Ghana, Mr. Pratt said, “It was he who scored the goal for Ghana’s independence while playing for the CPP.”

Nkrumah’s Children Missing

Dr. Nkrumah’s children – Samia Yabah Nkrumah who was once the chairperson of the CPP, and Sekou Nkrumah – have in recent times consistently absented themselves from major functions of the party which involves their father.

They were nowhere to be found during the celebration at the party’s Asylum Down headquarters.

Prof. Delle (second left) Lee Ocran (right) and others cutting the 108th birthday cake of Dr. Nkrumah.