Mr Ankrah has said the President erred, adding the decision was totally wrong.

He explained that, August 4 marks the formation of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) and does not represent the entirety of Ghana’s founding efforts.

“The President was totally wrong when he selected August 4, you state August 4, it means that you are truncating the work others have done….the significance of August 4, is the formation of UGCC, it’s a political party. Never, how can you use a political party’s formation as the foundation of Gold Coast?” he quizzed in an interview on Accra-based Channel One TV.

He added, “Then we should go back to about March 8, 1897, as the formation of Gold Coast, because that is where the Aborigines’ Rights Protection Society (ARPS) was founded to save the lands of this country. For me, I don’t understand the August 4.”

Parliament in 2019 established August 4 as Founders’ Day to honour the collective efforts of those who contributed to Ghana’s independence struggle, while designating September 21 as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.

However, Mr Ankrah’s comment comes in the wake of the new debate surrounding the celebration of Founders Day.

In Akufo-Addo’s 2024 Founders’ Day address, he rejected the notion that Ghana was founded by a single individual, disagreeing with claims that Kwame Nkrumah single-handedly founded Ghana.

He highlighted the collective efforts of various individuals in attaining Ghana’s independence.

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A statement signed by Mr Buah noted that the right to independence was not a spontaneous event but the result of years of agitation, activism, and political organisation.

The statement acknowledged that while various individuals contributed to the struggle, it was Nkrumah’s exceptional leadership and vision that paved the way for Ghana’s freedom.

It said: “Kwame Nkrumah was not just a participant in Ghana’s independence struggle; he was the architect and driving force behind the movement.”

The statement “recounted that Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s returned from the United States in 1947, influenced by Pan-Africanism and socialism, marked the beginning of a radical approach to the fight for independence”.

It said Nkrumah’s unique ability to mobilize the masses through strikes, protests, and demonstrations challenged colonial authority and inspired ordinary Ghanaians to demand for their rights.

“His unwavering dedication to unity within the nationalist movement and his advocacy for Pan-Africanism showcased his visionary leadership and commitment to a free Africa,” it added.

The statement said Nkrumah was at the forefront of the movement on March 6, 1957, when Ghana gained its independence from colonial rule, and his contributions as the first Prime Minister and President of Ghana solidified his position as the founding father of the nation.

It noted that: “No amount of political propaganda can ever diminish his legacy or alter the historical truth of his peerless contributions to our nation.”

A statement, issued by the Minister of Interior, Ambrose Dery, said “the general public is hereby informed that Thursday, August 4, 2022 which marks Founders’ Day is a Statutory Public Holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country.”

The Founders’ Day is a national public holiday to celebrate the heroic contributions of the leaders, popularly referred to as the “Big Six”, to the progress of Ghana. 

They are historically known for their immense roles in Ghana’s independence and national development.

In his Founders’ Day speech, the First Man said in order to honour the country’s forebears, Ghanaians must emancipate themselves from neo-colonial structures which continue to bind the nation.

Today we pay homage to successive generations of Ghanaians who played significant roles towards the liberation of our country from colonialism and imperialism.

We must, as a mark of reverence to our forebears, work to free ourselves from the economic arrangements designed by the former colonial power to serve its particular purpose at the time, which continue to bind us.

President Akufo-Addo also urged every Tom, Dick, and Harry to come on board to steer the country to its respective destination.

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Let us all put our shoulders to the wheel, and drive our nation to its destination, a united, developed, prosperous, free, democratic and independent Ghanaian nation.

August 4th marks two important milestones in Ghana’s history.

Firstly, August 4th is the date for the formation of the Aborigines’ Rights Protection Society by John Mensah Sarbah in 1897, and the formation of the United Gold Coast Convention in 1947 by J. B. Danquah and George Alfred ‘Paa’ Grant.

The planned protest was in limbo after the police indicated that it could not provide security due to the COVID-19 pandemic – a development the conveners of ‘FixTheCountry’ described as very disappointing.

However, the organisers, in a statement, said they have finalised processes with the Ghana Police Service.

The protesters are expected to converge at the Obra Spot near the Kwame Nkrumah Circle at 6:30 am with the march to commence at 8:00 am.

They will march through the principal streets of Accra and finally end at Blackstar Square in strict adherence to the covid-19 safety protocols.

“The protest march will go through the Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, to Farisco Traffic Lights. We will then take a left towards TUC, then continue on the road leading past Kinbu Senior High School to join the John Evans Atta Mills High Street.

“We will then proceed to Independence Square, where the Crowd will be addressed and subsequently dispersed. Obra spot (Circle) — Farisco Left — TUC — Kinbu Senior High School – Centre for National Culture – to Independence Square,” part of the statement read.

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Protesters will be assisted by the Police personnel who will be directing the routes of the event to prevent obstruction of pedestrians or vehicular traffic.

“We expect the crowd to start dispersing around 2:00 pm after they have been addressed at the Independence Square,” the statement urged.

Read the full statement below:

The opposition did not attend the debate, and the vote was unanimous.

In 1821, the British Government took control of the British trading forts.

In 1844, Fanti chiefs on the Gold Coast (as Ghana was then known) signed an agreement with the British that led to the colonial status for the coastal area.

In 1902, the British succeeded in establishing firm control over the Ashanti region and making the northern territories a protectorate.

In May 1956, Kwame Nkrumah’s Gold Coast government issued a white paper with proposals for Gold Coast’s independence.

On August 3, 1956, the Gold Coast Assembly adopted Mr Nkrumah’s resolution demanding independence from Britain.

The British Government stated it would agree to a firm date for independence if a reasonable majority for such a step were obtained in the Gold Coast Legislative Assembly after a general election.

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The 1956 election returned the Convention People’s Party to power with 71 of the 104 seats in the Legislative Assembly.

Ghana became an independent state on March 6, 1957, when Britain relinquished its control over the Gold Coast and Ashanti, the Northern Territories Protectorate, and British Togoland.

After a long period of colonial rule, the newly elected Assembly of Ghana, passed a motion directing the government to demand independence from Britain.

As the opposition party was not part of the debate, the motion was passed with unanimous vote.

The motion was also accepted by the British Government as representing the majority of the Assembly.

On March 6, 1957, the 113th anniversary of the Bond of 1844, the former British colony of the Gold Coast became the independent state of Ghana, and the nation’s Legislative Assembly became the National Assembly. Mr Nkrumah continued as Prime Minister.

According to an independence constitution also drafted in 1957, Queen Elizabeth II of England was to be represented in the former colony by a governor general, and Sir Arden-Clarke was appointed to that position.

You may not be aware, but our continent Africa is actually going through a new phase of colonialism – referred to as neo-colonialism. Nkrumah defined neo-colonialism as a situation of infringed and compromised national sovereignty where foreign interest remains economically – and hence politically – dominant in strategic decision making.

On July 10, 1953, the then head of government business of Gold Coast, Kwame Nkrumah, moved the “motion of destiny” in the British Parliament to legally succeed in leading Ghana to independence in 1957. Subsequently, he actively pursued the independence of almost two-thirds African states in the 1960s. However, this was plummeted by a CIA-sponsored coup in 1966, in no small but largely due to the publication of his work in 1965 condemning neo-colonialism in Africa as “the last stage of imperialism.”

Consequently, colonialism left Africa through the political door; but, playing possum, it has veered back through the economic door calling itself neo-colonialism. The blight of Africa’s freedom and independence is her economy. It has become a cliché that Africa has all the resources to develop, yet, they have become a source of exploitation stumbling her path to development.

TOWARDS AFRICA’S ECONOMIC FREEDOM

The prescient knowledge of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah outlined four stages to achieve the task of complete freedom and independent for Africa, which are: first, the attainment of political freedom and independence; second, the consolidation of that freedom and independence; third, the creation of unity and comity between the free African states, and fourth, the economic and social reconstruction of Africa.

The competition for sources of raw-materials by the most advanced and industrialized economies makes continental Africa the focus of imperialists. China has been the latest with her “debt-trap diplomacy” or “debt-colonialism” – offering enticing loans to countries unable to repay, and then demanding concessions when they default.

So the question arises: what is Africa’s alternative to the Euro-America-China economic association which had had deadly implications to Africa’s independence and progress? The answer lies in an African Common Market.

AFRICAN COMMON MARKET

According to Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, it is an African economic community in which we can all pull our production and trade to a common advantage. For example, Africa produces more than 62% of cocoa in the world – 35% from Ivory Coast, 21% from Ghana and 5% from Nigeria. Harnessing these productions together in an African Common Market would build a global cartel to determine cocoa prices in the world market.

Nkrumah elaborated in his work on “Africa Must Unite” that the proposed Inga hydroelectric dam on the trans-boundary Congo River cannot go beyond the blueprint stage without the co-operation of other African states. Indeed, no single African state can afford to build it. The dam, when completed, would be the largest hydro-electric power generating facility on earth providing 25 million kilowatts of electricity capable of electrifying the whole of the African continent.

In the agricultural sector, Africa holds 60% of the world’s arable lands. However, farming in Africa is mostly faced with multiple challenges. The most important include inadequate funding on farming equipment and machineries, poor storage facilities and rural infrastructure, inadequate land and water resources. UNICEF projects that Africa will be home 2 to 5 children by 2050. The youngest population yet the most starving. Leadership demands that African youth are empowered in this area of the economy to provide the much needed manpower to support the backbone of Africa’s economy.

We have seen that since independence, the fragmentation of Africa into series of small states has left the states with little or no resources to provide for economic integrity and viability. Without the means of to establish their own economic growth, they are compelled to return to the colonial framework of economic bondage bolted in neo-colonialism. In the eternal words of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, “a state in the grip of neo-colonialism is not master of its own destiny. It is this factor which makes neo-colonialism such a serious threat to world peace. The forward solution is for African states to stand together politically, to have a united foreign policy, and a fully integrated economic programme for the development of the entire continent.”

The Presidency in a statement released on September 15 announced that September 21 will this year be celebrated as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial day.

It also revealed plans to present legislation before Parliament to set aside August 4 as a day to celebrate the many founders of Ghana.

But Bright Akwetey on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem Friday said President Akufo-Addo is in a search for fruitless glory for his ancestry.

According to him, the conscious effort to project Ghanaian giants such as J.B. Danquah, Edward Akufo-Addo and others who belong to the Danquah-DomboBusia tradition ahead of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is unfortunate.

The CPP man wondered how significant the events of August 4 such that it merits a celebration of any form.

“The Akufo-Addo government is bent on projecting other elements in Ghana’s history, one that favours the key founders of the Dankwa, Dombo, Busia legacy but Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is the only founder of Ghana” he stressed.

Mr. Bright Akwetey believes the arguments advanced by government are lame  thus should be treated with the contempt it deserves.

Play attached audio for more

According to him, the President’s move is only a means of making his uncle, J.B. Danquah who is part of the founding fathers of Ghana useful in the history of the country.

“Akufo-Addo’s proposal is a waste of time and useless. I think he only wants to clean the mess of his uncle and make him useful in the history of the country because JB Danquah has no clean record. They are refusing to accept the fact that Kwame Nkraumah is the founder of Ghana” he said on Accra based Neat FM.

If passed by Parliament, 4th August and 21st September will be observed as public holidays, a statement signed by the Director of Communications at the presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin said.

The statement said in the meantime, the President has issued an Executive Instrument to commemorate this year’s celebration of Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day as a public holiday.

However, this has not gone down well with a section of the Minority, as well as Nkrumahists across the country.

According to Koku Anyidoho, Ghana has a founder (Kwame Nkrumah) and not founders as President Akufo-Addo is proposing.

Mr Anyidoho believes it can only be an element of propaganda for the President to elevate other founding members including JB Danquah to a Founder position when they only assisted in the independent struggle.

The first President, Dr Nkrumah, Mr Anyidoho contended played a significant role in the struggle for independence from colonial rule, and therefore his contributions must not be overlooked.

He therefore accused Akufo-Addo of attempting to change Ghana’s history in favour of his father Edward Akufo-Addo and uncle, J.B. Danquah.

He maintain the move by Akufo-Addo to make his uncle, JB Danquah look more important than Kwame Nkrumah will be an exercise in futility.

“What Akufo seeks to do now is an exercise in futility. With what the President has started, then we would have to go and look for all those who fought for Ghana like Odartey Lamptey and even our great grandfathers and add them to the founders. There must be cut off point” he stressed.

Click on attached audio for more

President Nana Akufo-Addo is proposing legislation to Parliament to designate August 4 as Founders Day, ditching September 21 as the commemorative day for Ghana’s liberation and independence fighters.

However, September 21 will be observed as ‘Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day’.

Both days – August 4 and September 21 — will be observed as public holidays, according to a statement signed by the Director of Communications at the presidency, Mr Eugene Arhin said.

The statement said in the meantime, the President has issued an Executive Instrument to commemorate this year’s celebration of Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day as a public holiday.

This has general a lot of controversy with many accusing President Akufo-Addo of attempting to re-write Ghana’s history.

But Dr. Eric Oduro-Osae indicated that the President has not erred rather should be lauded for the initiative.

He said all those who played vital role in the liberation of Ghana deserve to be honoured just like Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

“The President has not erred in proposing a new day for founders’ day, I believe he only wants Ghanaians to appreciate other founding members of the country. Nkrumah is not the only founder of Ghana and so remembering others was the best decision the President could make.

“Let’s laud the president for that bold step because when we always honour Nkrumah, then we are not being fair to other founding members” he said on Accra based Neat FM.

Dr Oduro-Osae however asked Ghanaians to desist from politicizing Ghana’s history and rather seek national cohesion.

The proposal will also request parliament to approve September 21 as a holiday which be observed in honour of Ghana’s first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

August 4 will henceforth  be observed as a holiday as well.

In a statement, the President bemoaned the confusion that has heralded the role previous leaders played towards Ghana’s independence.

“It is unfortunate that 60 years after independence, the history of the events leading to it continues to be embroiled in unnecessary controversy, due largely to partisan political considerations of the moment,” the statement said.

It added: “It is clear that successive generations of Ghanaians made vital contributions to the liberation of our country from imperialism and colonialism. It is, therefore, fitting that we honour them, as those who contributed to the founding of our nation”.

Below are details of the statement

It is unfortunate that 60 years after independence, the history of the events leading to it continues to be embroiled in unnecessary controversy, due largely to partisan political considerations of the moment.

It is clear that successive generations of Ghanaians made vital contributions to the liberation of our country from imperialism and colonialism. It is, therefore, fitting that we honour them, as those who contributed to the founding of our nation.

The most appropriate way to honour them is to commemorate the day on which the two most significant events in our colonial political history, that led us to independence, occurred – 4th August”.

On that day, in 1897, the Aborigines Rights Protection Society (ARPS) was formed in Cape Coast. The Society did a great job to mobilise the chiefs and people to ward off the greedy hands of British imperialism to ensure that control of Ghanaian lands remained in Ghanaian hands. It represented the first monumental step towards the making of modern Ghana, enabling us to avoid the quagmire of land inheritance that our brothers and sisters in Southern and Eastern Africa continue to suffer, from the seizures of their lands by white minorities.

In a deliberate act in the continuum of Ghanaian history, exactly fifty years later, on 4th August, 1947, at Saltpond, the great nationalists of the time gathered to inaugurate the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), the first truly nationalist party of the Gold Coast, to demand the independence of our nation from British rule, at a gathering which included “paramount chiefs, clergymen, lawyers, entrepreneurs, teachers, traders and men and women from all walks of life in the Gold Coast”, according to an eye witness.

The inauguration set the ball rolling for our nation’s attainment of independence, and for the dramatic events, including the birth in 1949 of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP), that ushered us into freedom.

That day, 4th August, is, thus, obviously the most appropriate day to signify our recognition and appreciation of the collective efforts of our forebears towards the founding of a free, independent Ghana.

It is equally clear that the first leader of independent Ghana, and the nation’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, played an outstanding role in helping to bring to fruition the works of the earlier generations, and leading us to the promised land of national freedom and independence. It is entirely appropriate that we commemorate him for that role, by designating his birthday as the permanent day of his remembrance.

The President has, therefore, decided to propose legislation to Parliament to designate 4th August as FOUNDERS DAY, and 21st September as KWAME NKRUMAH MEMORIAL DAY, both of which will be observed as public holidays. In the meantime, the President has issued an Executive Instrument to commemorate this year’s celebration of KWAME NKRUMAH MEMORIAL DAY as a public holiday.

……signed……
Eugene Arhin
Director of Communications
Office of the President
Accra, 15th September, 2017.