3 months ago
14 ARTICLE AD
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Saturday eulogised the country’s founding fathers’ unwavering commitment and dedication to the cause of nationhood.
He said the sacrifices, resilience, leadership and tenacity of purpose instilled in the citizenry continued to inspire Ghanaians to succeed.
“Let us continue to revere those who fought for our union. Let us recommit ourselves to the ideals of freedom, justice and democracy,” the president advised in a message to commemorate the Founders’ Day.
President Akufo-Addo, who addressed the nation as part of the Founders’ Day commemoration on Saturday, said Founders’ Day ought to remind all Ghanaians of the values that had guided the nation throughout the years.
These values, he said, were a reflection of the vision of those who founded the Ghanaian nation, and had been crucial in shaping the national character.
The president said in the political history of the nation, the Fourth Republic had proven to be the most enduring, elaborating that after the predictable initial turbulent decades of post-independence, “we have witnessed great changes in Ghana”.
“Our economy has grown, our infrastructure has improved, and our society has become more inclusive. We have made impressive strides in governance, education, health care and technology. And we continue to build on the foundation laid by those who came before us,” he said.
In addition, he highlighted the need for the nation to prioritise education, health care, inclusivity, agricultural and socio-economic development for the wellbeing of the people, adding, “More importantly, the citizenry should embrace national cohesion and good neighbourliness to build a stable and prosperous society.”
President Nana Akufo-Addo, upon assuming office and based on the call to celebrate other members of the “Big Six”, proposed a legislation to Parliament to designate August 4 as a new date for the Founders’ Day celebration in order to widen the scope of the celebration to cover all people who played a key role in the liberation of the country.
The decision was also to purposely recognise two important events in the history of Ghana preceding independence in 1957.
On August 04, 1897, the Gold Coast Aborigines’ Rights Protection Society, led by John Mensah Sarbah, was formed.
The United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was also formed on August 04, 1947, by J.B. Danquah and George Alfred Paa Grant.
The President indicated that those two scenarios would later inspire Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President, to form the Convention People’s Party, and subsequently lead the final lap towards independence.
“The contributions of the leaders before him were instrumental in shaping the political landscape that facilitated Nkrumah’s rise to prominence,” he emphasised
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
