The Convention People’s Party (CPP) is calling upon the citizens of Ghana to take a moment for introspection and consider the developmental legacy of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah as a foundational reference point for evaluating the performance of subsequent governments.
The party emphasized that Dr. Nkrumah’s strategic investments in vital sectors of the economy and his ambitious industrialization initiatives played a pivotal role in steering the country toward economic independence. This progress continued until his “painful” overthrow in 1966.
In an interview conducted with the Ghana News Agency in anticipation of the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day, Nana Yaa Akyempim Jantuah, the General Secretary of the CPP, asserted that Dr. Nkrumah should serve as the ultimate “yardstick of good governance.”
She encouraged the citizens to engage in a critical examination of the current state of Ghana’s economy and to contrast it with the remarkable achievements of Dr. Nkrumah, who had unwaveringly worked towards elevating the nation to greatness following its independence in 1957.
“Ghana was on the road of gaining economic independence, but Nkrumah was painfully taken out of power.
“Kwame Nkrumah developed and industrialised this nation. He created a good healthcare system for the nation and was very prudent with the resources that we had and used it to build a lot of infrastructure, including the Akosombo Dam and the Harbour,” she said.
According to Nana Yaa Jantuah, the current state of Ghana’s economy, characterized by higher inflation, weak local currency, and unachievable debts, reflected the collapse of the dream of economic independence.
“It is time for us to arise to make our government accountable. Ghanaians should let governments who come into power understand that they cannot do what they like and that the yardstick should be what Kwame Nkrumah did,” she said.
On Thursday, September 21, 2023, Ghanaians will observe the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day, which has been designated as a Statutory Public Holiday.
This day is dedicated to the remembrance and commemoration of Ghana’s inaugural President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who previously served as Prime Minister and was a prominent advocate for African unity and the liberation of the black population across the continent.
The historical significance of this day can be traced back to March 6, 1957, when Ghana achieved independence after 83 years under British colonial rule.
This historic milestone made Ghana the first sub-Saharan African nation to attain independence from British colonial governance. It was Dr. Kwame Nkrumah who passionately declared Ghana as “free forever” from the shackles of colonialism, marking a momentous turning point in the nation’s governance and history.