Akufo-Addo cannot erase my father’s political achievements - Samia Nkrumah

Former Member of Parliament for Ellembele, Samia Yaaba Nkrumah has said President Akufo-Addo and his government can never change the history of Ghana’s political struggles by attempting to discount her father’s contribution.

According to Samia Nkrumah who is also a former National Chairman of the Convention People’s Party, her father’s contribution to the struggles for independence is significant and ''no one can rob her father of the glory.”

She argues, her father’s role as Ghana’s first President and his pan-African vision warrants his special standing in Ghana’s history towards independence and must be respected as such.

Samia Nkrumah was speaking to host of Abusua Nkommo, Kwame Adinkrah in reaction to preparations by the Akufo Addo government to celebrate the founders’ day August 4, 2017 in Saltpond.

The decision has come under intense criticism by some, including the CPP, as being a skewed account of history to suit his father, Edward Akufo-Addo, and uncle, J.B Danquah who also played their roles on the road to independence.

But Samia Nkrumah believes the action by government is “a huge distraction” adding, “Kwame Nkrumah himself said the independence struggle started before him.”

“We agree that there were so many other people in the independence struggle but his role was significant. Nobody can take that away from him.”

“I think Kwame Nkrumah should be giving more prominence. All the records show who the main catalyst was. Kwame Nkrumah had a vision, even though he came to collaborate with the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), but we know from history he was going to come down anyway.”

“Kwame Nkrumah had a particular pan-African vision for our independence so he was bound to be the catalyst. So yes, thousands were instrumental, but he was the catalyst and let’s give him is due,” Samia Nkrumah asserted.

Samia Nkrumah observes, “we can praise all the others, but this is a man who fashioned our whole nation building policy, free and compulsory education, the Akosombo dam, the industries… I am happy, that finally, even the offshoot of the old opposition to Kwame Nkrumah is saying one district, one factory, and one village one dam. That is what Kwame Nkrumah was planning.”

“The day we realize Kwame Nkrumah’s ideas are, for now, is the day we will stop quarreling over Kwame Nkrumah,” Samia stated.