Ghana was not founded by one person – Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo has declared that a careful look at Ghana’s history and her struggle for freedom and independence shows that the country could not have been founded by one person but rather was built by the collective effort of several people who jointly fought for the liberation of the country from British colonial rule, starting in 1897, some 127 years ago.

Addressing the Ghanaian people in a televised message aired on 3 August 2024 to commemorate Founders’ Day (4 August), President Akufo-Addo said while he recognises the immense contribution of the country’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, to the country’s quest for self-determination, he rejects completely the notion that he single-handedly founded Ghana.

“It is most appropriate that we have chosen this date to honour their [the founding fathers] sacrifices, their resilience, and their strong dedication to the ideals of freedom and justice. I speak to you this evening rejecting completely the notion that Ghana was founded by one man.

“Whilst Kwame Nkrumah’s contributions to our independence are undeniable and unassailable, it is important to acknowledge for our self-respect that the struggle for our nation’s freedom was a collective effort spanning several generations,” President Akufo-Addo remarked.

“The formation of the Aborigines’ Rights Protection Society, the British West African National Congress jointly sponsored by Joseph K Hayford and Thomas Hutton Mills, the United Gold Coast Convention, the work of countless unsung heroes and the tenacious spirit of our people all played vital parts in bringing us to freedom and independence.

“Kwame Nkrumah, with his charismatic visionary leadership, was undoubtedly a major actor in the final lap of our journey to independence. And that is why, despite the several unfortunate things that happened after independence, under his watch, Parliament in 2019 decided to memorialise his date of birth as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day, the only Ghanaian so far to be so honoured in our history,” Akufo-Addo further said.

“It is essential to recognise that Kwame Nkrumah stood on the shoulders of past leaders. The groundwork laid by the Aborigines’ Rights Protection Society, the British West African National Congress, the United Gold Coast Convention, and many other organisations and individuals provided the foundation upon which Kwame Nkrumah built the Convention People’s Party (CPP).

“And indeed, that is why he was careful to associate the name of his new party with that of the convention. The contributions of the leaders before him were instrumental, as is natural in the continuum of history, in shaping the political landscape, and facilitated Kwame Nkrumah’s rise to prominence,” the president added.

The American example

Stressing further his conviction that there is a need to celebrate all of Ghana’s founding fathers, President Akufo-Addo said: “Even though comparisons may be invidious, it is worth recalling that George Washington, the victorious general of America’s war of independence from British colonial rule and the first president of the United States of America, is not described as the founder of the United States.

“The accolade of the founding fathers [in the United States of America] is reserved to the group of 56 persons who assembled at the Philadelphia Convention of the Continental Congress to write and promulgate the constitution of the United States of America,” President Akufo-Addo said.

Seven priority areas

In his statement, President Akufo-Addo proposed seven priority areas to which he believes Ghana and its leaders (present and future) must pay attention if the nation is to develop and ensure equitable distribution of the state’s resources for the benefit of all citizens.

According to President Akufo-Addo, Ghanaian society “is becoming more inclusive, with greater representation and participation from women, youth and marginalised communities”. He argued that in order to attain true fairness of representation, the nation must continue to implement “policies and initiatives to promote gender equality, like the recently enacted Affirmative Action Bill, empower our youth and protect the rights of all citizens”.

“This inclusivity is a reflection of the values of our founders and is essential for building a just and equitable society,” the president said. “However, we must also recognise that our journey is far from over. As we celebrate our past, we must also look to the future with a renewed sense of purpose and determination.

“We must continue to work towards building a Ghana that is equitable, free, just and prosperous for all her citizens. Our founders envisaged a nation where every Ghanaian will have the opportunity to thrive, regardless of his or her background or circumstances,” Akufo-Addo said.

“It is our duty to carry forward this vision, to build on their legacy and to create a brighter future for ourselves and for generations to come. To achieve this, we must, in my respectful view, focus on seven key areas,” the president added.

The seven priority areas the president proposed are: first, investing in education; second, prioritising health care; third, paying attention to agriculture; fourth, advancing Ghana’s economic development; fifth, intensifying the building of strong security institutions (the police, military and so on); sixth, strengthening democratic institutions (such as the judiciary); and, lastly, advocating national unity and cohesion.

Reporting by Wilberforce Asare in Accra

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