Sankofa Series: Akosombo Dam, SSNIT, Peduase Lodge, BoG and 86 other projects Nkrumah gifted Ghana

When you take a drive along the concreted 19km Accra-Tema Motorway, or when you attend that event at the National Theater in Accra, perhaps, the last thoughts that run to your mind might never be about under whose tenure of presidency these projects were undertaken.

And by the way, the above projects were undertaken under Kwame Nkrumah and Jerry John Rawlings’ eras respectively.

But more specifically under Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, not only did Ghana experience a new wave of development and self-rule, but Ghanaians had the opportunity to contribute towards the building of their own country in a way that wasn’t only limited to colonial rule.

In this article under GhanaWeb’s Sankofa Series to commemorate the Ghana Month, we bring you a list of some of the major projects undertaken by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah before his overthrow in 1966.

All these projects were undertaken between the periods of 1957, when Ghana gained independence, and 1966, and have been made available via Still Atom on Facebook.

Here they are:

– University Of Cape Coast (UCC)

– Ghana National College, Cape Coast

– Mfantsiman Girls’ SHS

– Winneba Secondary School

– Apam Secondary School

– Swedru Secondary School (SWESCO)

– Fosu Training College

– Ofori Panyin Secondary School

– Techiman Secondary School

– Dormaa Secondary School

– Tema Secondary School

– Oda Secondary School

– Labone Secondary School

– Kwadaso College of Education

– Atebubu Training College

– Berekum Training College

– Enchi Training College

– Turned University College of Gold Coast into the University of Ghana (He became their first

chancellor)

– Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST)

– Institute of African Studies

– Kwame Nkrumah Institute of Economics and Political Science (now south campus of UEW)

– Ajumako School of Languages (now under UEW)

– Kumasi Technical Institute (now a university)

– Accra Polytechnic (now Accra Technical University)

– Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (previously Kumasi Central Hospital)

– He made Korle Bu a teaching hospital and expanded its capacity by constructing the Medical, Maternity, Surgical and Child Health blocks

– He established the Ghana Medical School

– He made Medical care free to all citizens

– He established GIHOC pharmaceuticals

– He also built several hospitals and clinics

– Abosso Glass Factory

– Zuarungu Meat Factory

– Wenchi Tomato Factory

– Kade Match Factory

– Akosombo Textiles Limited

– Kumasi Shoe Factory

– Pwalugu Tomato Factory

– Asutuare Sugar Factory

– Komenda Sugar Factory

– Kumasi Jute Factory

– Nsawam Cannery, Brick and Tile Factory

– Tarkwa Bonsa Tyre Factory

– Bolgatanga Meat Processing Factory

– Bolgatanga Rice Mill Factory

– GIHOC Fibre Products Company

– Ghana Black Star Line with almost 15 ships

– Bank of Ghana (BoG)

– Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB)

– Agricultural Development Bank (ADB)

– National Investment Bank (NIB)

– State Insurance Company (SIC)



– Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT)

– Ghana Oil Company (GOIL)

– Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GHAPOHA)

– Tema Oil Refinery (TOR)

– The National Management and Productivity Institute

– Ghana Film Industries, Accra

– Ghana Airways Corporation

– Ghana National Trading Corporation

– Cocoa Marketing Board (COCOBOD)

– Tema Steel Works

– Volta Aluminium Company

– State Housing and Hotel Projects

– Labone Estate

– Kanda Estates

– Osu Ringway Estates

– Airport Residential Area

– Patasi Estate

– Kwadaso Estate

– Buokrom Estates

– North and South Suntreso

– Tema Township(Communities)

– Star Hotel

– Meridian Hotel

– Ambassador Hotel

– Continental Hotel now Golden Tulip Accra

– Atlantic Hotel

– City Hotel Catering Rest Houses now Golden Tulip Kumasi



– Peduase Lodge

– Ghana Film Corporation

– Ghana News Agency

– Ghana Broadcasting Corporation

– Atomic Reactor Station

– Akosombo Dam

– Restructured the British Military base into Accra (now Kotoka) International Airport

– Tema Motorway

– Tema Harbour

– Adomi Bridge

– State Farms and Institutes

This article was first published by GhanaWeb on March 22, 2022, but has been republished today in commemoration of the 2024 Ghana Month being celebrated