Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak
Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has slammed President Akufo-Addo for rejecting the claim that the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is the founder of Ghana.
He says such a comment is unfortunate and an agenda to distort facts about the history of Ghana.
He made the remarks in reference to former President John Dramani Mahama's pledge to restore July 1 as a holiday, a day that reminds us of our Republican history.
Dr. Apaak maintained that the late Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is the only founder of Ghana, and nothing can change that history.
He said Ghanaians reject any attempt by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) to rewrite the country's history.
The Republic Day of July 1 is no longer a public holiday.
The holiday was scrapped following President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's assent to the Public Holidays (Amendment) Act 2019.
A statement signed and issued by the Minister of Interior, Ambrose Dery, on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, announced that President Akufo-Addo had assented to the new Act on April 16, 2019.
"The President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, assented to the Public Holidays (Amendment) Act 2019 (Act 986) on April 16, 2019," it said.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has assured Ghanaians that he will reinstate the holiday if elected president.
He condemned Akufo-Addo for his comments and said he would reinstate July 1 as a public holiday.
"I will reinstate July 1 (Republic Day) as a statutory holiday when the NDC wins power."
Dr. Apaak noted that Mr. Mahama would reinstate the holiday to celebrate Dr. Kwame Nkrumah as the only founder of the Republic of Ghana.
"July 1 will be a public holiday under JDM/NDC. JDM will reinstate Republic Day in honour of the ONE and ONLY founder of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. We vehemently reject any attempt to rewrite the history of Ghana."
