Former President John Dramani Mahama has chastised President Akufo-Addo for some comments he made over the weekend.
This was after the President emphasised during his address to the nation on August 3 that Dr Kwame Nkrumah was not the only man to have founded Ghana.
The President stated that, he rejects completely “the notion that Ghana was founded by one man.”
“While Kwame Nkrumah’s contributions to our independence are undeniable, it is important to acknowledge for ourselves that respect that the struggle for our nation’s freedom was a collective effort spanning several generations.”
But reacting to this, Mr Mahama stressed that Ghana’s history is already well-known.
“We all know the history and will follow our history. When we are elected, as president I promise you, we will reset all,” he added.
He further explained that the UGCC [United Gold Coast Convention], of which J.B. Danquah was a member, was historically against Ghana’s quest for independence.
“The very people who opposed our independence then, and even went ahead to petition the Queen of England. The UGCC members Akufo-Addo is a member of were opposed to Ghana being an independent state. So, he can’t come and rewrite history,” the NDC 2024 Presidential aspirant said.
Background
In 2019, Parliament passed a law establishing August 4 as Founders’ Day to honour the contributions of all who played a role in Ghana’s journey to independence.
This law also designated September 21 as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day to specifically acknowledge Nkrumah’s contributions.
The decision to create Founders’ Day sparked protests from some individuals and groups who believed in Nkrumah’s singular role in founding the country.
These critics argue that Dr Nkrumah’s leadership was pivotal and deserving of sole recognition.
