Former President John Dramani Mahama has criticized President Akufo-Addo for his recent comments regarding Ghana’s founders.
During his address to the nation on August 3, President Akufo-Addo asserted that Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was not the sole founder of Ghana, stating, “I reject completely the notion that Ghana was founded by one man.”
He added, “While Kwame Nkrumah’s contributions to our independence are undeniable, it is important to acknowledge for ourselves that the struggle for our nation’s freedom was a collective effort spanning several generations.”
In response, Mr. Mahama emphasized that Ghana’s history is well-established and should be respected. “We all know the history and will follow our history. When we are elected, as president I promise you, we will reset all,” he asserted.
Mahama elaborated, explaining that the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), which included J.B. Danquah among its members, historically opposed Ghana’s independence.
“Apart from destroying the economy, one of the things this government wants to do is to rewrite our history, and we shall not allow them to rewrite our history because the president said he does not accept that one person can be the founder of our nation.”
“Nobody can come and rewrite our history. Indeed, for those of you who don’t know it, when the Queen finally agreed to give Ghana independence, the UGCC that Nana Akufo-Addo is fighting to be recognised as founders of Ghana wrote a petition. They sent people to England to tell the queen not to grant independence because we are not ready yet,” he said.
In 2019, Parliament enacted a law designating August 4 as Founders’ Day to honor all who contributed to Ghana’s path to independence. This law also established September 21 as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day, specifically recognizing Nkrumah’s significant contributions.
The creation of Founders’ Day has sparked protests from some individuals and groups who argue that Nkrumah’s pivotal leadership deserves singular recognition. They contend that Dr. Nkrumah’s role in founding the country was unparalleled and should be solely acknowledged.