The Founders Day celebration is significant in the lives of Ghanaians as it is a day set to celebrate the birthday of Ghana’s first president Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
Nana Akuffo-Addo has proposed to ‘designate August 4th as Founders’ Day’ instead.
Many Ghanaians ‘believe it was pointless for the President to have proposed an additional holiday to the existing plentiful holidays’.
NDC's Murtala Mohammed has issued a release copied to Ghanaweb, expressing their disappointment in the President.
"However, we regret to announce that our hearts sank when we heard about the communiqué from the Presidency proposing to Parliament to designate August 4th as Founders’ day", the statement reads.
Read full statement below:
HAPPY FOUNDER'S DAY
On this Founder’s Day, 21st September, 2017, the Progressive People's Party wishes to pay glowing tribute to Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah for his selfless dedication to the service of Ghana and his efforts aimed at improving the welfare of the disadvantaged and marginalized. Dr Nkrumah’s enviable leadership which resulted in the demonstration to the World that the Black man is as competent as any other human being cannot be overemphasized.
However, we regret to announce that our hearts sank when we heard about the communiqué from the Presidency proposing to Parliament to designate August 4th as Founders’ day. We believe it was pointless for the President to have proposed an additional holiday to the existing plentiful holidays which put Ghana in a bad limelight as the 2nd country in the world after Ireland to have many holidays.
It is true that many great men and women played different roles in Ghana’s independence, but the fact still remains that modern Ghana has one founder which is Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Some wanted a federal, tribal based nation; Nkrumah wanted a unitary nation with expanded boundaries. Some wanted independence delayed; Nkrumah wanted independence now.
Why must we waste the tax payer’s money in creating another holiday to celebrate Founders’ day? Founder of a nation is nothing new as examples abound of leaders who have been given honorific titles in recognition of their driving force behind the establishment of their country.
Such leaders include Sir Henry Parkes of Australia, Sir John A. Macdonald of Canada, Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme of Chile, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo of Cuba, Jean-Jacques Dessalines of Haiti, Alexander the Great of Greece and many others. This does not suggest in any way that others did not play any role in the struggle for independence in all these countries.
It is regrettable that our country has degenerated to the level where every National issue is discussed with NDC and NPP proclivity and as a result, we fail to seek excellence and rather pursue parochial interests. Does this not also suggest that when there is change in power, there will also be a change in this new proposal from the President?
We consider the attempt to liken the remarkable leadership exhibited by Dr. Nkrumah during the independence struggle with any other person as a smoke screen to smear the great Osagyefo.
In any case, why is the President bent on changing the Founder's day after 9 months in office when he promised to rid Accra of filth in 100 days? The high living condition has made life unbearable for many Ghanaians due to the continuous increases in petroleum prices in the country. The cedi is fast depreciating against the dollar and the economic transformation promised to Ghanaians cannot be envisaged.
We call on Government to suspend the history expeditions and concentrate on the core business of Government. We expect the Government to spend its energies on solving the problems associated with the Free SHS policy and deliver the change the NPP promised the people of Ghana.
Murtala Mohammed