Akufo-Addo’s statement on Nkrumah an “unfortunate gaffe” – CPP

The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has condemned President Akufo-Addo’s claims that the nation’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, should not be solely credited as the founder of Ghana.

In a national address to mark Founders’ Day celebrations, President Akufo-Addo stated that he rejected the notion that the country was founded only by Dr. Nkrumah. According to the President, the fight for Ghana’s independence was a collective effort and should not be attributed to a single individual.

These remarks have sparked a debate on social media, with the CPP expressing strong opposition. In a statement, the CPP described Akufo-Addo’s claims as an “unfortunate gaffe” and argued that the president should have chosen his words more carefully on a day set aside to celebrate the nation’s founder.

The CPP further asserted that considering the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is in the final months of its current tenure, it should focus on leaving a positive legacy rather than attempting to tarnish the reputation of a leader who is highly regarded in both Ghana and Africa.

“To reject The Osagyefo as the Founder of Ghana on the weak basis that “the struggle for our nation’s freedom was a collective effort spanning several generations” is indeed an unfortunate gaffe, and it would have been thought His Excellency would have been more selective with his words, in these last days of the NPP administration, especially after mistakenly referring to His Excellency the former President John Dramani Mahama as his vice only a couple of days ago. The NPP is indeed a party of inaccuracies and massaging of facts on all fronts,”’ the release read.

It continued, “The whole world knows who the Osagyefo is, and that he founded this country and named it Ghana, after the old Ghana Empire, on the eve of our independence of 6th March 1957. This was after countless attempts were made by the antecedents of the NPP, made up of Dr. J.B. Danquah and other elements of the UP tradition, to stop Ghana from gaining independence.”