Nkrumah does not need Founder’s Day to be recognized - Kweku Baako

Seasoned journalist, Kweku Baako Jnr. has slammed the decision by government to amend some public holidays in the country.

Government has proposed a new bill before Parliament to amend the Public Holidays Act.

The new bill which was laid by the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, on Thursday, December 13 seeks to make January 7 Constitution Day and August 4, Founders' Day.

The government is also proposing to scrap the Republic holiday on July 1 and AU holiday on May 25 whereas the Founder's Day on September 21 will no more be observed as Founder's Day but only as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.

The proposal is ensure that AU and Republic Days are only observed as commemorative days.

But according to Kweku Baako, government's proposal for July 1st to be observed as commemorative day, makes "no sense" and defeats the relevance and purpose of the day.

He explained that July 1st marks a landmark in Ghana's history and wondered why the government would make any attempt to amend it.

“The apparent relegation of July 1st to a commemorative one makes no sense to me. 1st July is not the celebration of the first Republic. 1st July is a reflection of the day we attained Republican status as a nation State . . . When the Queen ceased being the Head of State, that is, indeed it’s when we had full political sovereignty," he said.

Kweku Baako further slammed the government regarding the Founder's Day which is to be observed as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day saying Kwame Nkrumah is already a global icon and doesn't need Founder's Day to be relevant, hence the government relegating the Founder's Day won't take anything from his legacy.

Mr. Baako questioned the logic behind the move by government to touch the Founder's Day because to him, Ghana's First President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah will remain the founder of Ghana despite any attempt to fiddle with the facts.

“Kwame Nkrumah does not need a Founder’s Day to be recognized. He is a global icon . . . He goes beyond Ghana, even Ghanaian politics. Nkrumah goes beyond party politics. He goes beyond Ghana. He is a global icon. In my view, he was the founder of Ghana . . . Nkrumah does not need 21st September to be celebrated as a Founder’s Day. He doesn’t need it. History has already vindicated him and his dimension is global,” he said.