General News of Wednesday, 7 August 2024

Source: peacefmonline.com

What's your problem with August 4 holiday? - Nana Akomea slams Akufo-Addo's critics

Deputy Chairman of the Bawumia campaign team, Nana Akomea Deputy Chairman of the Bawumia campaign team, Nana Akomea

The Deputy Chairman of the Bawumia campaign team, Nana Akomea, has thrown his weight behind President Nana Akufo-Addo over his position on who founded Ghana.

The President asserts that Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is not the sole founder of Ghana, hence fixing August 4 as a statutory holiday to celebrate Ghana's founders.

To the President, the struggle for independence was a collective one, hence he recognizes the efforts of all those who helped Nkrumah achieve his aim.

“I speak to you this evening, rejecting completely the notion that one man founded Ghana. 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.”

“The formation of the Aborigines Rights Protection Society, the British West African National Congress, the United Gold Coast Convention, the work of countless unsung heroes, and the tenacious spirit of our people all played vital parts in bringing us to freedom and independence,” the President said.

He concluded, “Kwame Nkrumah, with his charismatic visionary leadership, was undoubtedly a major actor in the final lap of our journey to independence, and that is why, despite the several unfortunate things that happened after independence under his watch, Parliament in 2019 decided to memorialize his date of birth as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day, the only Ghanaian so far to be so honoured in our history.”

Discussing this matter during Tuesday's edition of the "Kokrokoo" show on Peace FM, Nana Akomea lauded the President for choosing August 4, saying, "I support the date entirely and I support the prominence given to Nkrumah by having his birthday as a special day to recognize his leadership."

He explained why August 4 was fixed, stating the date is significant because it is on this day that "the first political party to fight for independence was formed, and that political party brought Kwame Nkrumah."

To those who are calling out President Akufo-Addo over his statements on Founders' Day, Nana Akomea questioned, "What is the problem with August 4 (holiday)?"