Dr. Kwame Nkrumah
Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is the first president of Ghana who led his country to independence from Britain in 1957.
He was born on September 21, 1909, at Nkroful in the Western Region and every year the day is used to remember and celebrate the first president who has contributed a lot to Ghana.
Government has, in that regard, declared today as a statutory public holiday for the day which is dubbed ‘Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day’.
An influential advocate of Pan-Africanism, Nkrumah was a founding member of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and winner of the Lenin Peace Prize in 1962.
In Ghana, he led a massive socio-economic development that saw the springing up of infrastructure across the country.
Overthrown by the military in 1966 with the help of Western backing, Nkrumah spent his last years in exile, dying in Bucharest, Romania, on April 27, 1972. His legacy and dream of a ‘United States of Africa’ still remains a goal among many.
He remains a strong pillar of Ghana’s tourism as some of developmental projects he led still remain the backbone of the country’s tourism.
NEWS-ONE brings to tourists who are visiting Ghana some of the important tourism sites synonymous with Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, as well as his monuments.
This is part of an initiative by the office of the Ministry of Tourism Arts & Culture to guide tourists to the best destinations in Ghana.
Independence Square
The Independence Square is one of the favourite spots in Accra. It is usually a busy place during 6th March Independence Day parades, the purpose for which it was constructed in 1961.
For citizen who grew up in the environs of the square, they don’t only get to be part of all major national public gatherings and national festivals that take place there but also engage tourists who visit. Bordered by the Accra Sports Stadium and Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, it is often described as a public square.
Visit the square, also known as Black Star Square, and spin around its vast, empty expanse of concrete overlooked by spectator stands. The square boasts of the Independence Arch and the Black Star Monument, also known as the Black Star Gate. A statue of a soldier faces the Independence Arch, symbolising the Ghanaians who lost their lives fighting for Ghana’s independence and also the Liberation Day Monument.
Akosombo Dam
The dam has been Ghana’s first and largest energy-generating plant by Dr. Nkrumah.
The dam has been the nation’s bedrock in terms of sustaining the economy as well as powering homes. It was strategically built to cover Ghana’s energy demands for several years and it has sustained the nation right up to date.
Nkroful
Nkroful is a unique town with a lot of history and natural resources. It is the birthplace of the Ghanaian first president where his memorial can also be found. It also houses some simple visitor facilities and a souvenir shop.
Located 83km west of Takoradi, in the hinterland of Ghana West Coast, the area around Nkroful is full of natural resources such as oil palm, coconut palm, cocoa and gold. It is also the home to mystical River Subre and is close to three forest reserves – Draw River Forest Reserve, Ndumfri Forest Reserve, and Shelter Forest Reserve. A tour of the community is always an exciting one.
Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum & Memorial Park
The Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum & Memorial Park is situated off the High Street in Accra, and it symbolises the genesis of the history of Ghana.
The beautiful park has a lot of history concerning the first president of Ghana. The great works of Dr Kwame Nkrumah is well explained within the park and the mausoleum tells it all. It houses the body of Dr Kwame Nkrumah and his wife, Fathia Nkrumah. A full statue of Dr Nkrumah, wearing a cloth in bronze is sited at the exact location where he proclaimed Ghana’s independence. The design of the mausoleum represents an upside down sword which symbolises peace.
From the main way leading to the mausoleum is a spring on either sides of the walk way and also peacocks around. Each spring has seven bare-chested, squatting statuettes of flute blowers, who seem to welcome visitors to the park. The water on the other hand is a symbol of life. Its presence conveys a sense of immortality for the name Nkrumah. It shows that even in death Nkrumah lives on in the hearts and minds of generations here and generations yet to come.
Kwame University of Science & Technology
Osagyefo had an immense impact on Ghana’s educational sector as well. One of his major achievements was the establishment of the University of Science and Technology, as it was then known, in 1952. Osagyefo had a vision of nurturing and transforming talented young Africans into world-class experts in the science and technology world. Although this dream may not have fully been realised, millions of alumni over the years have had their lives transformed by Ghana’s second university. Tourists can pay visit to the school to have a look.
Adomi Bridge
The Adomi Bridge features among Osagyefo’s greats due to its strategic impact on the lives of Ghanaians, especially those from the Eastern Corridor. The bridge, which spans across the world’s largest man-made lake, Lake Volta, serves the purpose of connecting inhabitants to and from the Eastern Corridor and has arguably led to an economic boom in Akosombo and the surrounding areas. It is a two-hinged steel arch bridge with a deck suspended by cables. It was designed in 1956 and completed in 1957.
Tema Motorway
The Tema Motorway is one of the greatest achievements chalked by Nkrumah infrastructure wise. And it has served great tourism purposes over the years. After establishing the Tema Harbor and township, Osagyefo saw the need to transport goods to and from Tema in record time. Thus, the Tema Motorway was born. After over 50 years, it remains the nation’s major motorway, further entrenching the importance of its construction.
Tema Harbour
Constructed on a site that was once a small fishing village called Torman, the Tema Harbour is the largest man-made harbour in Africa. The harbour, which also serves the needs of other countries such as Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali, handles over six million tonnes of cargo annually. Ghana has immensely benefitted from the Tema Harbour and Osagyefo can be greatly credited with this success. Tourists who are visiting must make it a point to visit the harbour.
Peduase Lodge
The first presidential retreat to be built in Ghana- Peduase Lodge – was a glorious sight to behold during the Nkrumah era. It consisted of a four-storey building containing a library, swimming pool, theatre complex, a guard and staff complex. The lodge was unfortunately left in a deplorable state some years later until renovations were completed on it in the early 2000s. This government mountain resort has been the site of many significant meetings of African and international leaders.