Nana Ohene Ntow, a special advisor to independent presidential candidate Alan Kyerematen, has expressed profound disappointment over President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s focus on the Founders’ Day debate while Ghana faces significant economic challenges.
In comments made on TV3’s Key Points on August 10, Ohene Ntow criticized Akufo-Addo for prioritizing a discussion on the founders of Ghana amidst the country’s economic difficulties.
He questioned the President’s decision to change Founders’ Day to accommodate different perspectives on Ghana’s history.
“One of the sad moments for us is the president’s preoccupation with changing Founders’ Day when we grapple with an unprecedented economic crisis,” Ohene Ntow said.
It is regrettable that President Akufo-Addo is focusing on such a trivial issue when pressing matters demand immediate and urgent attention.
Ohene Ntow’s comments followed President Akufo-Addo’s remarks on August 3, 2024, rejecting the notion that a single individual founded Ghana.
In his Founders’ Day address, the President emphasized that Ghana’s independence resulted from collective efforts spanning several generations, not solely from Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s work.
In 2019, Ghana’s Parliament established August 4 as Founders’ Day to honour the collective contributions to the country’s independence, while September 21 was designated as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day. Founders’ Day is a day to celebrate the diverse groups and individuals who contributed to Ghana’s independence, not just one person.
This decision sparked controversy among some who view Nkrumah’s role as central to Ghana’s founding.
In his address, Akufo-Addo highlighted the contributions of various groups and individuals, including the Aborigines Rights Protection Society, the British West African Nation Congress, and the United Gold Coast Convention, which collectively played vital roles in Ghana’s journey to independence.
He acknowledged Nkrumah’s significant role in the final stages of this process but stressed the importance of recognizing the broader collective effort.
In addition to Ohene Ntow, Professor Baffuor Agyeman-Duah, a former Senior Advisor at the United Nations, also weighed in on the debate.
Agyeman-Duah urged politicians to focus on addressing pressing economic challenges rather than engaging in historical debates.
He emphasized the need for Ghana to develop policies that reduce its dependency on the global economy and address its longstanding economic issues. These policies could include measures to boost domestic production, reduce reliance on imports, and promote local industries.
The ongoing debate over Founders’ Day continues to draw attention amidst Ghana’s economic struggles, with urgent calls for leaders to prioritize and implement substantive economic reforms over historical disputes.
