Govt Returns House To Nkrumah’s Family

The government has finally de-confiscated the house built for the family of Ghana’s First President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, and given it to Egyptian-born, Madam Fathia Nkrumah and her children. The house located at Cantonments in Accra is currently undergoing extensive renovation.

The house was released to Sekou Nkrumah, the youngest son of Dr Nkrumah about six months ago.

Sekou who is expected back in the country from a three-week trip to the US this weekend has been living in the house. He is presently the only son of Fathia, living in Ghana. His two other siblings, Dr Gamel Nkrumah, a journalist based in Cairo, Egypt and his sister, Samia Nkrumah who is based in Italy are expected briefly in Ghana within the next few weeks with their mother.

Fathia’s house, which was built as a national gift for the family by the late Ignatius Kutu Acheampong was confiscated by the PNDC to the State, after the family briefly left for Egypt. In 1998, Sekou staged a one-man demonstration behind the walls of the house, which was being occupied by the then Speaker of Parliament, Justice D. F. Annan to demand the return of the property to his family.

Speaking in an interview with the Gye Nyame Concord, the Deputy Minister for Information, Stephen Asamoah Boateng said government’s decision to return the property to the family forms part of the process of healing the wounds of the past.