Akufo-Addo's 6th March speech generated 'unnecessary' JB-Nkrumah discussion - Koku

Deputy General Secretary for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Koku Anyidoho has described the attempt by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to rewrite history about the struggle for Ghana’s independence as a failed attempt.

According to him, the speech of President Akufo-Addo on the 6th March 2017 to mark the 60th Independence anniversary of the country has given birth to this unnecessary discussion that JB Danquah was part of Nkrumah’s struggle for Ghana’s independence.

He quoted President Akufo-Addo on the 60th Anniversary saying that “we must begin to have a conversation about the independence of Ghana and the people who fought for Ghana’s independence.”

Thus, Koku Anyidoho strongly believes this statement of President Akufo-Addo has necessitated this ‘unnecessary’ discussion amidst the many challenges confronting this country.

“President Akufo-Addo’s statement on the Independence Day celebration tells you that he was creating the grounds for us to do this unnecessary discussion that JB Danquah was part of Nkrumah’s struggle for our independence. They want to rewrite history to make JB Danquah more relevant than Kwame Nkrumah but it won’t today or tomorrow,” he asserted.

He again asserted that JB Danquah knew nothing about Ghana’s national pledge and anthem and therefore it is out of place for the ruling NPP to force on Ghanaians that JB Danquah fought for the independence of Ghana.

He however alleged that those who founded United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) were seeking for their own interest and not the interest of the then Gold Coast; hence Kwame Nkrumah broke away to form CPP which led to the independence struggle and gave the country the independence on 6th March 1957.

“In less than a year Kwame Nkrumah realised that UGCC was not interested in the independence of Ghana but rather they were looking for the independence for a particular family which was JB Danquah, Ofori Atta, Paa Grant and their friends in the Movement,” he asserted.

“UGCC was not a political party, but movement which Paa Grant formed when he was a member of Association of West African Merchant to protect their wealth by using the movement to negotiate with the royal Monarchy in UK for them to be recognized as leaders and elites of the Society in the then Gold Coast,” he stressed.

To him, Kwame Nkrumah was begged to join UGCC in order to save the movement from collapsing as JB Danquah and Ako-Adjei could not handle the leadership of the movement; thus Ako-Adjei recommended Nkrumah to save the movement, knowing his exceptional leadership quality in the liberation struggle of Africa.