Those who refuse to learn from past mistakes are obviously condemned to repeat them with far reaching consequences and repercussions. The CPP wants to win power, but not at the cost of Ghana’s destruction. We entreat Ghanaians, our numerous supporters and youth to consider Ghana first and remember that governments come and go, but our Ghana shall ever remain. There is therefore no need to worry when your opponent rejoices over transient victory. We must be purposeful, but civilized and focused to forge ahead for the future of Ghana.
For sure we cannot rest content until we have demolished the miserable structures that keep our youth under the yoke of unemployment, homelessness and lack of self respect. Our aim is to replace this situation with an edifice of economic stability and equal opportunity to all, thus creating for ourselves a veritable paradise of abundance, satisfaction and love for one another. These cannot be achieved through fighting but through active political discourse which encourages listening and tolerating one another even when we don’t see eye to eye.
The following historical paragraphs have been noted here to remind countrymen and future generations that we must be united at all times and strive for peace, for Ghana nearly went to the brink of civil war and disaster, but saved by NANA EKUMFI AMEYAW of Takyiman and the BONO KYEMPEM who will forever remain heroes of our nation;
1. Immediately after the CPP won a decisive victory (72 out of 104 seats) in the 1954 general election, the Opposition demonstrated their undemocratic tendencies and led by Dr. Busia went on an offensive agitating for a federal form of government.
2. The CPP continued to demonstrate its belief in one Ghana and unity of all Ghanaians, when four members of the Legislative Assembly invited Prof. Busia and other leaders of the NLM to discuss the federation matter at a roundtable conference. But they turned down the invitation saying that it did not come from the government. Nkrumah then sent two separate official (government) invitations to them, and they turned down both invites.
3. Amidst the firing of muskets and the singing of songs, Bafour Osei Akoto, led a ritual slaughter of a sheep to signify the birth of the National Liberation Movement (NLM), of which Busia became its political leader. Ghana’s anticipated independence in 1956 as promised by the constitution was thus halted by the birth of the NLM. Remember when the CIA coup came, the junta called themselves National Liberation Council {NLC}.
4. The NLM continued to show its hatred for the democracy being nurtured in Ghana when on April 5, 1955, led by Busia and Modesto Apaloo walked out of the Assembly, just after a Motion on a Select Committee to examine the whole question of the federal system of government had been seconded. In their opinion, the Select Committee, comprising some CPP parliamentarians or the homeless tramp and jackals (Liberator, March 1956), was incompetent to deal with national matters. 5. Various acts of violence engulfed the country including the bombing on November 10, 1955, of Kwame Nkrumah’s residence. Busia’s NLM was clearly prepared to use violence to achieve their aims rather than the ballot box.
6. On the day that the CPP’s regional office was re-opened in Kumasi after fourteen months of closure, Prof. Busia’s NLM drove a jeep past the crowd and fired shots into it and wounded several people; and killed a pregnant woman.
7. The opposition led by Dr. Busia continued to demonstrate their dis-interest in .a peaceful democratic Ghana, refusing to meet with Sir Frederick Bourne, a constitutional expert sent by the British government to resolve the impasse between the government and Opposition.
8. The NLM then refused to attend an all-party conference at Achimota on February 16 1956 to discuss Sir Bourne’s report and to avert another general election, two years after the 1954 general election. What's more, Prof. Busia and the Opposition rejected the regional assemblies contained in the Bourne report.
9. When the government issued its constitutional proposal in the April White Paper of 1956; as usual, the opposition boycotted its proceedings.
10. Because of the absence of Prof. Busia and the Opposition at the Achimota meeting, the British Secretary of State found Bourne’s report unacceptable. Hence, the British government decided to hold another general election for the people to decide whether they wanted a unitary government or a federal form of government. The CPP again won another decisive victory in the July 1956 election. Busia only won by eleven votes in his constituency; once again, he lost the votes in his hometown Wenchi.
11. Before the election, Dr. Busia had written to inform the Governor that, in accordance with the constitutional practice in the United Kingdom, the National Liberation Movement and its allies will expect Your Excellency to call upon Doctor K. A. Busia, their Parliamentary Leader, to form a Government should they win more than 52 seats at the elections .
12. Yet after Nkrumah’s CPP won the 1956 general election, Prof. Busia produced another theory saying that no constitution would be acceptable unless it was favored by a majority of the people of every region into which the Gold Coast was divided. In fact, Busia’s action staggered some of his closest allies. 13. Back in August 1955, the NLM warned the British government of grisly after-effects if the country should attain independence under the CPP. Thus it was said: AS FAR AS WE CAN SEE [THIS WOULD LEAD TO A ROAD THAT] MAKES FOR THE COUNTRY (ONE) OF RIOT, REBELLION, REVOLUTION; THE ROAD LONG AGO TAKEN BY THOSE UNHAPPY COUNTRIES WHERE ONE CAN CHANGE ONLY THE HEAD Of STATE OR THE PEOPLE WHO GOVERN BY ARMED INSURRECTION AFTER UNDERGROUND CONSPIRACY AND SABOTAGE. The Opposition’s boycott of the constitutional debate tabled by Nkrumah on August 3, 1956, must, therefore, be understood in the context of Prof. Busia’s declared oath to overthrow Kwame Nkrumah’s democratically elected government by any means possible.
14. Dr. Busia traveled to London and made his plea to the British Government to deny granting independence to Ghana since, in his view, the country was not ready for parliamentary democracy. “WE STILL NEED YOU IN THE GOLD COAST. YOUR EXPERIMENT THERE IS NOT COMPLETE. SOMETIMES I WONDER WHY YOU SEEM SUCH IN A HURRY TO WASH YOUR HANDS OFF US” (Botwe-Asamoah). Such was the undemocratic tactic employed by Dr. Busia to undermine the voice of the people in the country.
15. Earlier, Dr. Busia had told Richard Wright in an interview that he was British, A WESTERNER:AND WAS EDUCATED IN THE WEST (Right). He also told the London Times that OXFORD HAD MADE ME WHAT I AM TODAY. I HAD ELEVEN YEARS CONTACT WITH IT AND CONSIDER IT MY SECOND HOME. MOST OF MY FRIENDS ARE HERE. 16. When finally the British Colonial Government conceded to Ghana’s independence on March 6, 1957, Nkrumah’s government chose for Ghana’s flag, red for the blood of the martyrs, gold for wealth, green for the rich land and the black star in the centre representing the freedom of Africans on the continent and in the Diaspora. As expected, Prof. Busia and the NLM opposed it.
17. Yes, it is true that Dr. Danquah first suggested Ghana as the name for the country. Dr. Busia also formed a political party and called it Ghana Congress Party. But when Nkrumah formally proposed Ghana as the name for the independent and sovereign country, the Danquah-Busia camp opposed it.
19. When Parliament formally opened after the 1956 election, Dr. Busia and his NLM elected parliamentarians were absent.
20. When the British Governor, in his opening speech, introduced a Bill declaring that the Gold Coast would be a sovereign and independent State within the Commonwealth, Prof. Busia and the Opposition criticized the proposal saying that it was premature.
21. On November 20, 1956, Dr. Busia’s NLM and the Northern People’s Party sent a secessionist resolution to the British Colonial office in London for separate independence for the Asante province and the Northern Territories. “…….We prefer self government, and our human rights, and freedoms with danger to servitude in tranquility”………“My opponents say that I am ambitious, if my ambition is for the sake of Africa and the common man, then my ambition is a necessary ambition”
--- Dr Kwame Nkrumah. {May his soul rest in peace and his peace transcend over Ghana in this transitional periods, Amen} The CPP remains convinced that the party is the right choice for Ghana at this time of tribulations, when the NDC has tried and failed for 19 years and the NPP has offered the same for 8 years. But above all, political discourse and tolerance is what we pray Ghanaians in this election. We offer an alternative that puts the people’s welfare at the heart of policy. We will make Ghanaians own their own homes and have a secured job to go to each morning when the cockerel crows.
FORWARD EVER, BACKWARD NEVER. YERESESAMU!
Lartey-Adjei, Festus Kwadwo (Labor Consultant and interim Chair, CPP Scandinavia,Oslo.cpp.scandinavia@yahoo.no)
