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Nkrumah, Danquah debate unnecessary – Ricketts-Hagan

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General News of Saturday, 5 August 2017

Source: citifmonline.com

2017-08-05

Ricketts Hagan MineKweku Ricketts-Hagan, MP for Cape Coast South

National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South, Kwaku Ricketts-Hagan has described as needless, attempts to rewrite Ghana’s history in a manner that discredits Kwame Nkrumah’s role in Ghana’s independence

According to the Legislator, the comparison between Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and the founders of the United Gold Coast Convention creates unnecessary tension.

“Nkrumah’s history cannot be taken away from him and I do not think Danquah’s can also be taken away but when we draw the kind of comparison that we do from time to time, we create an unnecessary tension in the country. We cannot say that 1957’s independence was actually gotten for us by Danquah.You cannot say that. You can talk about people who contributed but as I said with everything that happens in history there is a climax and many a time, it is the climax that we refer to but if you want to cherry pick, you pick somebody from 1947 and then you bring them to 1957, it sort of misconstrues the whole history. Let us put people where they belong in the history of Ghana. There are so many things that we need to spend our energies and time on.”

His comments come a day after Speaker of Parliament Prof Mike Oquaye underscored the need for the political history of the country to be told in its entirety.

Mr. Oquaye contended that even though the first President, Dr Nkrumah played a significant role in the struggle for independence from colonial rule, the contributions of others must not be overlooked.

Delivering the anniversary lecture for the Ghana; 60 years celebration, Prof Mike Oquaye said Ghana has founders and not a founder.

“Men and women inspired by love for country met in Saltpond to work for self governance and freedom from globalisation. I have great regard for Dr. Kwame Nkrumah as a great Ghanaian but the truth must be told. A recap of the chronology of events shows that before the arrival of Nkrumah, some gallant Ghanaians were taking steps to lead Ghana to independence. That is truism.

People have regrettably asked how can we have more than one founder to such compatriots. I humbly lend them this advice. Foundership cannot be pursued in monopoly terms.”

This longstanding debate on Ghana’s founder was brought to the fore earlier in 2017 when President Nana Akufo-Addo’s speech delivered at Ghana’s 60th independence anniversary parade came under attack over what some said was a skewed account of Ghana’s history to suit his father, Edward Akufo-Addo and uncle, J.B. Danquah who were critical players in Ghana pre-independence.

Though some have argued that the President did not seek to downplay Nkrumah’s vital role that led to Ghana’s independence, others believe Nana Addo attempted changing Ghana’s history in favour of his father and uncle.

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