John Dramani Mahama, the flag bearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has resisted President Akufo-Addo’s assertion that Ghana was not founded by one person, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
He says although the efforts of the others who supported the struggle for independence cannot be underestimated, there is that one person that stands out in every nation that is recognised as the forebear in building it.
During his campaign tour in the Upper East Region ahead of the December elections, John Mahama indicated that his next administration will ensure that Ghana’s statutory holiday which was observed on July 01 will be reversed to it.
President Akufo-Addo in 2019 changed Ghana’s Republic holiday from July 01 to January 07, saying the 1963 Republic on July 01 could not suffice, and since Ghana is currently in the Fourth Republic which started in 1993, that is what should be observed.
But speaking at a durbar with the chiefs and people of Yarigabiisi in the Bolga East constituency, he noted that nobody would be given the room to change the history of the nation.
He cited South Africa for instance where others contributed towards their independence but single out Nelson Mandela due to the unique role he played.
“One of the things this government wants to do is to rewrite our history and we shall not allow them to rewrite our history because the president said he does not accept that one person can be the founder of a nation.
“Yes, founding a nation it takes many people but there’s always that critical one person whose sacrifice and efforts is what finally leads to the attainment of the objective that everybody is working for. And so if you ask South Africans who is the founder of modern day South Africa, they’ll tell you Mandela.
“But it was not Mandela alone, there was Oliver Tambo, there was Govan Mbeki and so many of them who fought the armed struggle to achieve independence for South Africa from apartheid. But it was Mandela’s sacrifice being in prison for 20 something years and being the symbol of the struggle that makes them say Mandela is the founder of modern day South Africa. It is the same thing with Ghana.
“If you ask Ghanaians who is the founder of Ghana, who gained independence for Ghana, majority of Ghanaians will tell you Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah because it was him who gave that critical spark to the independent struggle that eventually got us independence,” John Mahama stated.
