Mahama Takes On Akufo-Addo Over Founders’ Day Speech: “We Will Reset All”

• National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer John Mahama has criticised President Nana Akufo-Addo’s Founders’ Day speech
• Mahama also promised changes to the holiday regime if he becomes president again in the wake of another Founder’s Day debate
• The president, in an address on August 3, 2024, stated his rejection of the notion that Kwame Nkrumah is the sole founder of Ghana

Former President John Mahama has criticised President Akufo-Addo’s Founders’ Day speech, emphasising the contributions of the United Gold Coast Convention to Ghana’s independence.

Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), retorted that the United Gold Coast Convention had instead tried to undermine Ghana’s push for independence.

A stalwart of the convention, J.B. Danquah notably wrote to the UK and criticised the push for independence, per GhanaWeb.

Akufo-Addo’s New Patriotic Party has historical links to the United Gold Coast Convention, which was eventually overshadowed in the push for independence by Kwame Nkrumah’s Convention People’s Party.

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Joy News reported that Mahama also promised changes to the holiday regime if he becomes president again.

"We all know our history and will follow our history. When we are elected president, I promise you, we will reset everything," he added.

"The UGCC Akufo-Addo is a member of were opposed to Ghana being an independent state. So, he can't come and rewrite history," the NDC 2024 Presidential aspirant said.

CPP rejects Akufo-Addo's Nkrumah comments

The Convention People’s Party also rejected Akufo-Addo’s claim that Nkrumah cannot be solely credited as the founder of Ghana.

The party accused the governing NPP of attempting to whitewash the country's history for its own parochial interests.

There was also widespread criticism of Akufo-Addo online after his speech.

NAPO criticised for anti-Nkrumah remarks

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YEN.com.gh reported that Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh dismissed Nkrumah's contributions to Ghana in favour of Akufo-Addo.

This sparked intense criticism of the NPP running mate, Prempeh, and sparked an outpouring of support online for Nkrumah.

Prempeh eventually apologised for initially standing by his comments when he was formally unveiled as the NPP running mate.

Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh

Source: YEN.com.gh