President Nana Akufo-Addo has reiterated some of Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s famous admonishment to Ghanaians to free themselves from economic arrangements designed by former colonial masters.
In a message to Ghanaians to mark today’s Founders’ Day celebration, Nana Akufo-Addo also acknowledged the need for the country to move away from a raw material producing and exporting economy, which he says was a neo-colonial arrangement.
“We must make concerted efforts to break away from the neo-colonial structure of the raw material producing and exporting economy, which has, largely, been our lot,†parts of his message read.
Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, is popular for his unceasing call for Africans to unite against colonial and neo-colonial structures that deplete the continent’s resources.
“Africa is a paradox which illustrates and highlights neo-colonialism. Her earth is rich, yet the products that come from above and below the soil continue to enrich, not Africans predominantly, but groups and individuals who operate to Africa’s impoverishment,†is among Nkrumah’s popular quotes.
In today's Founders’ Day message, Nana Akufo-Addo also urged all Ghanaians to unite towards building an independent and prosperous country.
“Let us all put our shoulders to the wheel, and drive our nation to its destination, a united, developed, prosperous, free, democratic and independent Ghanaian nation,†he admonished.
Founders’ Day has been declared a public holiday to commemorate pioneers of Ghana’s struggle for independence.
The day was initially known as Founder’s Day and was celebrated on September 21 to mark the birth of Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
That day, introduced by the late Professor John Evans Atta Mills, is currently marked as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day after the changes in 2019.
The current Founders Day was introduced by President Akufo-Addo in 2019.
Founders’ Day coincides with the date the first political party of the country – the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) – was founded.