The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has described as ‘pointless’, government’s move to propose August 4 as Founders Day.
In a statement to mark Founder’s Day, on Thursday, 21 September the PPP said: “We regret to announce that our hearts sank when we heard about the communiqué from the presidency proposing to Parliament to designate August 4th as Founders Day. We believe it was pointless for the President to have proposed an additional holiday to the existing plentiful holidays which put Ghana in a bad limelight as the 2nd country in the world after Ireland to have many holidays".
Read full statement below
HAPPY FOUNDER'S DAY
On this Founder’s Day, 21st September 2017, the Progressive People's Party wishes to pay glowing tribute to Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah for his selfless dedication to the service of Ghana and his efforts aimed at improving the welfare of the disadvantaged and marginalized. Dr Nkrumah’s enviable leadership which resulted in the demonstration to the World that the Black man is as competent as any other human being cannot be overemphasized.
However, we regret to announce that our hearts sank when we heard about the communiqué from the Presidency proposing to Parliament to designate August 4th as Founders’ day. We believe it was pointless for the President to have proposed an additional holiday to the existing plentiful holidays which put Ghana in a bad limelight as the 2nd country in the world after Ireland to have many holidays.
It is true that many great men and women played different roles in Ghana’s independence, but the fact still remains that modern Ghana has one founder which is Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Some wanted a federal, tribal-based nation; Nkrumah wanted a unitary nation with expanded boundaries. Some wanted independence delayed; Nkrumah wanted independence now.
Why must we waste the tax payer’s money in creating another holiday to celebrate Founders’ day? Founder of a nation is nothing new as examples abound of leaders who have been given honorific titles in recognition of their driving force behind the establishment of their country. Such leaders include Sir Henry Parkes of Australia, Sir John A. Macdonald of Canada, Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme of Chile, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo of Cuba, Jean-Jacques Dessalines of Haiti, Alexander the Great of Greece and many others. This does not suggest in any way that others did not play any role in the struggle for independence in all these countries.
It is regrettable that our country has degenerated to the level where every National issue is discussed with NDC and NPP proclivity and as a result, we fail to seek excellence and rather pursue parochial interests. Does this not also suggest that when there is a change in power, there will also be a change in this new proposal from the President?
We consider the attempt to liken the remarkable leadership exhibited by Dr. Nkrumah during the independence struggle with any other person as a smokescreen to smear the great Osagyefo.
In any case, why is the President bent on changing the Founder's day after 9 months in office when he promised to rid Accra of filth in 100 days? The high living condition has made life unbearable for many Ghanaians due to the continuous increases in petroleum prices in the country. The cedi is fast depreciating against the dollar and the economic transformation promised to Ghanaians cannot be envisaged.
We call on Government to suspend the history expeditions and concentrate on the core business of Government. We expect the Government to spend its energies on solving the problems associated with the Free SHS policy and deliver the change the NPP promised the people of Ghana.
#AWAKE GHANA!
Signed,
Murtala Mohammed
National Secretary
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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Wining first elctions or being the first president does not make one a founder,thus Mugabe,Nelson Mandela,Samora Machel are not called founders even though they fought a long war before independence.the struggle for independence started in 1844,where was Nkrumah,UGCC started before Nkrumah was invited,it is unfair to describe Nkrumah as the only founder.What Akufo has done is the truth and more unifying,he has honored Nkrumah with a day,that i think is enough.Nkrumah as the founder inis not in any history book,it was ATTA MILLS WHO INSTITUTED IT.THANK YOU AKUFO ADDO.
My brother,do not lie,all the names you mentioned are never regarded as founders of the nations you mentioned.Who is the founder of USA,UK,RUSSIA,NIGERIA ETC,ON SINGLE PERSON IS REGARDED AS THE FOUNDER OF ANY NATION,THE NATION IS BIGGER THAN ANY INDIVIDUAL.IT WAS THE FORMER COMMUNIST COUNTRIES WHO USED THOSE TERMS AND WHICH NKRUMAH COPIED.IAM HAPPY YOU ADMITTED THAT THERE WERE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OTHER PEOPLE.THEE IS NOTHER WRONG WITH FRDERALISM,RUSSIA,USA,GERMANY ARE FEDERAL,THE DISTRICT COUNCIL CONCEPT ISMORE TOWARDS FEDERALISM THAN THAN THE NATIONAL APPROACH YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.WHAT AKUFO ADDO HAS DONE IS GOOD AND UNIFYING,THE STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE STARTED BEFOR E HKRUMAH.GHANA IS BIGGER THAN NKRUMAH