Former President John Mahama has expressed his disappointment and disapproval over President Akufo-Addo’s recent Founders’ Day address, accusing him of attempting to rewrite Ghana’s history.
Speaking during his campaign tour to Bolgatanga East Constituency, Mr Mahama criticized President Akufo-Addo and his team for their portrayal of historical events, emphasizing that Ghana’s history is well-known and will not be altered.
Mahama’s comments come in response to Akufo-Addo’s statement that Kwame Nkrumah alone cannot be credited as the founder of Ghana, instead emphasizing the collective efforts of various individuals in the independence struggle.
President Akufo-Addo’s remarks sparked a debate on social media, with the Convention People’s Party (CPP) describing the President’s comments as “unfortunate gaffe” and reaffirming that Dr Nkrumah is recognized globally as the founder of Ghana.
The CPP argued that the President should have been more careful with his words and accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of inaccuracies. Mahama also reminded the gathering that members of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), of which Akufo-Addo is a part, were historically against Ghana’s quest for independence.
In contrast, Akufo-Addo has firmly rejected the notion that Ghana was founded by a single individual, emphasizing the collective efforts of various individuals in the independence struggle.
In 2019, Parliament passed a law establishing August 4 as Founders’ Day to honour the contributions of all who played a role in Ghana’s journey to independence and September 21 as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day to specifically acknowledge Nkrumah’s contributions.
The decision to create Founders’ Day sparked protests from some individuals and groups who believed in Nkrumah’s singular role in founding the country.
Former President Mahama promised to “reset” the narrative when elected President, implying that he will revert to recognizing Nkrumah as the sole founder of Ghana.
BY Daniel Bampoe