“Dark days in Ghana” The disaster of Feb 24 1966

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Bongo Bongo 12 years ago

Where we are now is where they wanted us to be as you forlornly put 'our hard earned independence for subservience in a servitude position'. Because of the coup and coup galore most Ghanaians have had to leave our mother land ...
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Where we are now is where they wanted us to be as you forlornly put 'our hard earned independence for subservience in a servitude position'. Because of the coup and coup galore most Ghanaians have had to leave our mother land almost flee it, to wander the world wherever to take up any type of employment irrespective of one’s educational and intellectual background in order to bring home the ‘bacon'.Our dependency on the world bank by borrowing,
borrowing and borrowing. When will it end?
With reference to the UP strategy, it was not a well thought out conspiracy in my opinion; they were prepared to blatantly follow as stooges, to also help them to carve the so called name for themselves -prime minster and ceremonial president. What legacy did they leave for mother Ghana? I will answer that. A descendant who has or is following its father’s footsteps being disruptive and stealthily causing pandemonium just to be noticed.
Although I was in my formative years and was outside of Ghana 47 years ago, I still remember this day and the days thereafter. The events that trailed brought wretchedness to many people in Ghana as the world watched but did nothing as this was staged. Dr Kwame Nkrumah had the foresight and strived to make Ghana and Africa to be dependent on its own, yet his policies were stopped in full flow. Now just take a look around you now and what do you see? I see agitation, yes, agitation that is being instigated just because of a number of people’s determination at all cost to hold the mandate/crown jewels of the land. If this mandate does not belong to John Dramani Mahama then so be it.
Dr Kwame Nkrumah you are our ‘CANDLE IN THE WIND AND NEVER FADING WITH THE SUNSET’. (Elton John) 1997.
Long live Kwame Nkrumah. Long live Ghana.Forward Ever Backward Never
JOOJO WILSON 12 years ago

THE STRUGGLE CONTINUE TILL DR KWAME NKRUMAH'S VISION IS REALIZED AND THE DREAM OF AFRICAN TOTAL EMANCIPATION IS FULFILLED.

THE STRUGGLE CONTINUE TILL DR KWAME NKRUMAH'S VISION IS REALIZED AND THE DREAM OF AFRICAN TOTAL EMANCIPATION IS FULFILLED.
Conventional Youth. 12 years ago

Aluta continua.

Aluta continua.
don`t care !!! 12 years ago

I'm just drawing a map 4 them them...so that when I tell UP cum nppians to go to hell, them them will know exactly where to go....up till now them them `ve not change!still swimming in the mud looking 4 wisdom!

I'm just drawing a map 4 them them...so that when I tell UP cum nppians to go to hell, them them will know exactly where to go....up till now them them `ve not change!still swimming in the mud looking 4 wisdom!
aj-usa 12 years ago

dude,i am nzemah myself.but it´s make me sick when when ewe trying to speak for us,can u mension the names of guys who did the coup.kotoka is from where damn shit.the whole article is damn buuuuul shit.ghanaians wants to mov ...
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dude,i am nzemah myself.but it´s make me sick when when ewe trying to speak for us,can u mension the names of guys who did the coup.kotoka is from where damn shit.the whole article is damn buuuuul shit.ghanaians wants to move forward period.
Prosper Mensah 12 years ago

There was no REVOLUTION in Ghana,but EWE massacare of,destruction of Ashanti owned businesses+ factories,and marginalisation of Ashantis as planned and mapped by Kofi Awonoor (that ANUS LICKER) and Kojo Tsikata (the souless). ...
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There was no REVOLUTION in Ghana,but EWE massacare of,destruction of Ashanti owned businesses+ factories,and marginalisation of Ashantis as planned and mapped by Kofi Awonoor (that ANUS LICKER) and Kojo Tsikata (the souless).---and they will answer in purgatory.
JOOJO WILSON 12 years ago

Expect my call Sir,long time!

Expect my call Sir,long time!
Repugnant. 12 years ago

Yes the UP/NPP matehu tailpiece Kuffuor is still searching for its relevance. If only deliberate invocation of relevance was all that it takes, Ghana would have been paradise.

Yes the UP/NPP matehu tailpiece Kuffuor is still searching for its relevance. If only deliberate invocation of relevance was all that it takes, Ghana would have been paradise.
Gye Nyame 12 years ago

Many people were praying for a redeemer, that is why there was so much jubilation when Nkrumah's ass was kicked out, and Kotoka will always greet all entering the country by air. That is why CPP will never rise again, and th ...
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Many people were praying for a redeemer, that is why there was so much jubilation when Nkrumah's ass was kicked out, and Kotoka will always greet all entering the country by air. That is why CPP will never rise again, and that is why Ghanaians have chosen free speech, democracy and leaning capitalism, instead of dictatorship and communism. In the end it seemed that the right was vindicated, communism is slowly dying and even China is waking up to embrace capitalism. China is kissing the ass of the westerners because it realizes its rise and development is linked to the West's longevity. Kojo is so biased it does not even make sense, I am almost positive that Nkrumah if alive today would also have changed course, just as his Chinese friends have.
DARK DAYS IN GHANA 12 years ago

I just returned from my first ever visit to China...a communist country...and man...

Gye Nyame...you are so very ignorant of the economic plan of China talking about China embracing capitalism. Well capitalism is an intern ...
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I just returned from my first ever visit to China...a communist country...and man...

Gye Nyame...you are so very ignorant of the economic plan of China talking about China embracing capitalism. Well capitalism is an international idea.Any nation may choose to practice capitalism. So Chinese capitalism is built on a solid communist foundation. China controls their own future, they decide which way to go economically and the so called western capitalists cannot do anything about it.

By the way, China has built the largest and strongest communist military to protect their system from outside intervention, something Nkrumah was promoting in the 1960s.

Gye Nyame 12 years ago

But that is the problem, communism has no foundation, there is just a huge hole below. Trust me, I know a lot about China, don't get mesmerized by your one visit to China. They will soon go the way of Taiwan as more and more ...
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But that is the problem, communism has no foundation, there is just a huge hole below. Trust me, I know a lot about China, don't get mesmerized by your one visit to China. They will soon go the way of Taiwan as more and more people become affluent, the Chinese will demand democracy - check the history of Taiwan and you will understand what I am saying. Do you know how many of the kids of the CCP are in the West studying, enjoying the free world, etc. they are hiring teachers from the US, Canada, UK etc., to teach in China in droves. So you see where things are trending. Give them about 20-30 years and you will see that the so called "strongest communist military" will be no march for the changes coming to Ghana, just as Nkrumah's presidential guards were no match for Kotoka and his men.
Gye Nyame 12 years ago

"will be no march for the changes coming to China". Sorry.

"will be no march for the changes coming to China". Sorry.
DARK DAYS IN GHANA 12 years ago

Gye Nyame, in a sense you agree to what I am saying about the path Nkrumah took Ghana right after independence...to build a strong "socialist state", not a "communist state", upon which Ghana could develop its economy.

Cap ...
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Gye Nyame, in a sense you agree to what I am saying about the path Nkrumah took Ghana right after independence...to build a strong "socialist state", not a "communist state", upon which Ghana could develop its economy.

Capitalism, as I said before is an international idea and our forebears had practiced a form of capitalism side by side with socialism since the beginning of time.Now as a nation looking forward to the 21st century and beyond,Ghana as a nation and by extension Africa could not start off by practicing "capitalism". We had to develop a system upon which the people will be the owners of their destiny and the controllers of their wealth.

Nkrumah wanted Ghanaians to become affluent. That was the idea. Can you imagine if Ghana controlled our own resources and we discovered our oil. Then we could be in control of the negotiations and demand a much bigger percentage of the shares, say 51%. Instead, since others are making the decisions for us, we were handed a mere what 13%, and we are happy with that?

Yes, Taiwan is capitalist and they are strongly "protected" by the US military.

You defeat your argument when you accuse former CPP members of educating their children in the US when the government of Ghana is practically managed by the WB and IMF, which are basically "capitalist" institutions dictating to Ghana the trajectory of our development? Communism has a strong foundation just as capitalism do. It is about the people who control these institutions and their vision for their nation. Ghana doesn't seem to have any vision at the moment. We lost the vision with the overthrow of Nkrumah. Our enemies knew exactly what they were doing.
We were just too young to fight for ourselves. No nation can do that to communist China, I mean to overthrow their government.Capitalism sees the benefits of working with communists to their net profits.They support each other very well because they see the benefits to the other. That is what it is, not because capitalism is a much better system than communism.
Conventional Youth. 12 years ago

Ok boss, would be most glad to hear from you ASAP. We don't have much time to make that impact! How is Marcus? Greetings to the family.

Ok boss, would be most glad to hear from you ASAP. We don't have much time to make that impact! How is Marcus? Greetings to the family.
Adobah 12 years ago

Folks! Let the truth be said that the Western world dictates whose democracy is acceptable and whose is not. When you are favored, you can do no wrong. And to be the beloved you have to be a stooge and do their biding except ...
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Folks! Let the truth be said that the Western world dictates whose democracy is acceptable and whose is not. When you are favored, you can do no wrong. And to be the beloved you have to be a stooge and do their biding except your country is called Israel. They are Pius because they are God's beloved and with that mighty power behind them they can do what pleases them and get away with it. Unfortunately not many countries bare that name and therefore have to tow the line under the watchful eyes of the West if they want to succeed with their democracy. Despite China's success with their economy and the military might, it will be so unwise to ignore the "choke hold" of the west if they want to survive and hold on to the status as a super power. I am pretty sure they may have learnt to walk slow as they know they are walking on a quick sand. Whoever is in doubt should take a look at North Korea now, or Soviet Union then and now.
Nkrumah's error was not about not knowing. He was just too busy with African Unity and failed to piped milk and honey to our faucets so we sold him out. Now we are paying dearly for his mistakes! Aren't we? LOL. Folks all am saying is, there is no such thing as a perfect democracy but a system of governance which suits the people it serves taking into account the Good culture and traditions of the nation.
See! little yellow corn, little wheat, little bad oil may whet our appetite but we should not keep begging for more to the point that we chase after the west like cracked heads looking for a quick fix (and in our case it is for the crumbs). As Ghanaians we need to search for ways to fashion out democracy to suit our needs, taking into consideration: the cultural diversities, our heritage, even our religion and to trust ourselves for a great nation building. And most of all we should embrace stability because that is the key to power!
AMA 12 years ago

GhaNA ATTAINED REAL iNDEPENDENCE ON fEB. 24 1966.Nkrumah was worse than the colonial masters in how he treated his political opponents including his own CPP members. He thought he was the only wise man in Ghana and the only r ...
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GhaNA ATTAINED REAL iNDEPENDENCE ON fEB. 24 1966.Nkrumah was worse than the colonial masters in how he treated his political opponents including his own CPP members. He thought he was the only wise man in Ghana and the only radio station in Ghana then used valuable hours singing his praises that stupid Dictator thought he was God.
kotiunited 12 years ago

That was the real end of communism,socialism and Nkrumaism in Ghana and Africa-Thank be to God.

That was the real end of communism,socialism and Nkrumaism in Ghana and Africa-Thank be to God.
Yaa 9 years ago

Ama....and where are you now? Who told you this? And the insults? Did you read d article at all? You guys will forever be mentally enslaved. I pity you

Ama....and where are you now? Who told you this? And the insults? Did you read d article at all? You guys will forever be mentally enslaved. I pity you
JOE, UK 12 years ago

Its a long time Joojo. I( hope you are okay.

Its a long time Joojo. I( hope you are okay.
JOOJO WILSON 12 years ago

Expect my call Uncle Joe.It's been a long long time.Let's rest assured that Dr Kwame Nkrumah's dream will be fulfilled.

Expect my call Uncle Joe.It's been a long long time.Let's rest assured that Dr Kwame Nkrumah's dream will be fulfilled.

JOE, UK 12 years ago

We are already in the process of fulfilling it. The Nkrumah Revolution has just begun and it started from his own house. Awaiting the pleasure of hearing from

We are already in the process of fulfilling it. The Nkrumah Revolution has just begun and it started from his own house. Awaiting the pleasure of hearing from
GOLD COAST 12 years ago

Today is a sad day for Ghana and Africa.But like the Phoenix,CPP and Ghana WILL rise again.

Nkrumah,Lee Kuan Yew(SINGAPORE) and Tunku Abdul Rahman(MALAYSIA) - all were prominent leaders within the Non-Aligned Movement in t ...
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Today is a sad day for Ghana and Africa.But like the Phoenix,CPP and Ghana WILL rise again.

Nkrumah,Lee Kuan Yew(SINGAPORE) and Tunku Abdul Rahman(MALAYSIA) - all were prominent leaders within the Non-Aligned Movement in the 60s.All were democratically elected in their respective countries - and all faced violent opposition groups who lost in their elections.

Again,all passed PREVENTIVE DETENTION ACTS,to prevent destabilization of their states through assasination attempts,bombings and killing of innocent civilians.Tunku Rahman and Yew even employed extreme measures that saw thousands killed and jailed.In Nkrumah's Ghana,despite the assassination attempts and killings(Accra&Kulunungu),none of the violent opposition leaders were executed.

Meanwhile Yew and Rahman,after silencing the terrorists(who accused them of being "dictators" - as some ignorant fools continue to describe Nkrumah)continued to build their countries' infrastructure,education, health care and lastly,modernizing their economies - which today have made them first world states(leaving Ghana in the dust).Today,these two leaders are SAINTS and highly reverenced in both MALAYSIA and SINGAPORE.

These anti-Nkrumah fanatics should always remember that,had it not been for the great Nkrumah,their parents and they themselves would have been unable to read and write,and probably might be running around half-naked in the bush - from North to South or on boats over the Atlantic.

LONG LIVE NKRUMAH AND GOD BLESS GHANA.

PEACE
C.Y. ANDY-K 12 years ago

Except for one error, this is a good one. Nkrumah was in China on his way to Hanoi, Vietnam, on a UN mission to resolve the Vietanam war, when the dastardly and reactionary coup occurred,not Burma.

For some of us whose par ...
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Except for one error, this is a good one. Nkrumah was in China on his way to Hanoi, Vietnam, on a UN mission to resolve the Vietanam war, when the dastardly and reactionary coup occurred,not Burma.

For some of us whose parents supervised the setting up of those state factories and farms - my father did both as either Deputy or Acting Financial Comptroller of the Workers Brigade and never even got paid fully for his contracted fees until he died in 1982 poorer than in 1960 when he and his British partner accepted that contract, as he didn't steal a penny - and so knew what was going on, it is indeed very painful to see the state to which Ghanaians have been reduced from where our grandfathers and great uncles first helped the British to raise it to, and Nkrumah and our fathers and uncles continued. That's why we must re-organise the Nkrumaist camp and take the country back from all those jokers!

Andy-K
Yaa 9 years ago

We can't go back now. It's all been destroyed. It's all been sold.

We can't go back now. It's all been destroyed. It's all been sold.
Repugnant. 12 years ago

In 1952, J. B. Danquah asked my Grandfather’s friend, Opanin Kofi Amoh of both Ettokrom and Kyebi to get the cocoa farmers in the Ettokrom (Atukrom) vicinity to oppose the government’s policy of cutting down the swollen-s ...
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In 1952, J. B. Danquah asked my Grandfather’s friend, Opanin Kofi Amoh of both Ettokrom and Kyebi to get the cocoa farmers in the Ettokrom (Atukrom) vicinity to oppose the government’s policy of cutting down the swollen-shoot cocoa trees. My grandfather, the Chief Cocoa Farmer sought advice from Mr. Holloway, the Agriculture Officer of Cocoa Services Division C at its first Headquarters at Ettokrom. Meanwhile, Danquah had succeeded in convincing some people at Osiem to do his bidding. What followed were violent assaults on the employees of the Cocoa Services by some young men from Osiem with big clubs that caused blood to gush out of the victims’ heads and faces; some of the female employees, including my aunt were raped. But in one of his writings, Danquah denied ever inciting the cocoa farmers in the area to revolt against the government’s policy. Such is the kind of disingenuous discourse that one comes across in Danquah’s political letters and speeches.
J. B. Danquah: His CIA Connection and Detention
First, we must understand that legislative bodies create laws out of unique social circumstances in each country. That is why laws, and for that matter legal systems, differ from country to country. As such, the British laws and its legal system were created to address British particular experience and not to arrest the greatest threat Ghana faced after the 1956 general election. The barbaric acts of terrorism and bestial bomb attacks on the Ghana Young Pioneers, school children and the eight assassination attempts on Nkrumah’s life by the enemies of the State required an appropriate corresponding law to protect and secure the unitary-system of government in Ghana. Otherwise, it would have been irresponsible and betrayal, if not foolish, on the part of the CPP government to have sat idle for the hard-won Ghana’s independence (which all of us are preparing to celebrate), at the expense of Nkrumah’s life and many of his supporters, to go into oblivion by the barbaric acts of the bloodthirsty Danquah-Busia gangsters. Considering this, the PDA was therefore the best temporary measure that the parliament passed with the approval of the British Crown via her appointed Governor-General. In fact, K.A. Busia and R. R. Amponsah and Modesto Apaloo were members of parliament that passed the PDA. And if the PDA had been an undemocratic, dictatorial and tyrannical act, the Governor-General would have thrown it out, and probably dissolved the parliament and dismissed Nkrumah as Prime Minister. The Danquah-Busia gangsters were aware of the constitutional powers of the Head of State, but they simply ignored it in order to blame Kwame Nkrumah and his Government, other than themselves, for the PDA.

Danquah’s detention under the PDA resulted from his involvements in coup plots in collaboration with the CIA. During the first treason trial of Awhiatey-Amponsah-Apaloo conspiracy of November 1958, after the passage of the PDA, J. B. Danquah was heard assuring a foreign diplomat that Nkrumah’s government would be overthrown in December 1958 (Bing). But the security forces did not act on it. They kept close eyes on him and other enemies of the State in order to gather hard evidence. The grounds for the first detention of Danquah was submitted to him in writing that: “During the month of September 1961 YOU DID JOIN in a DESIGN for the subversion of the Government of Ghana PRESENTED to you at a meeting on the premises of Dr. J. B. Danquah in Accra, by ISMAILA ANNAN and ATTA BORDOH both now detained and you did ENCOURAGE this design and in furtherance of it DID ACT in a manner calculated to endanger the security of the State and to cause the overthrow of the Government of Ghana by unlawful means” (see Danquah’s own Historic Speeches J. B. Danquah). Of course one should expect Danquah to craft his response like a defense attorney in order to accuse Nkrumah’s Government of unlawful detention without trial. Danquah’s claim was that the meeting was called in connection with the 1961 Takoradi Workers’ strike and the government’s budget. During this same strike, Komla Gbedemah, serving on the three-man presidential commission ruling the country, “saw his chance to seize power. Gbedemah had no problem in obtaining CIA backing for his conspiracy.” He “approached Ambassador Russell on September 6, 1961”and asked for US support; and “Washington gave an unequivocal yes.” Gbedemah and Busia went into exile together with the help of the CIA in October 1961 (see Mahoney, 1983 for details). Now, given that Danquah, Busia, Obetsebi-Lamptey, R. R. Amponsah, Modesto Apaloo and the new comer Gbedemah were in one accord to overthrow Nkrumah’s government by violence, Danquah’s assurance given to the foreign diplomat that Nkrumah’s government would be overthrown in December 1958 and the meeting in his house in September 1961 cannot be seen as unrelated issues.

Danquah’s collaboration with the CIA became clear when he went to the US Embassy, after Nkrumah had pardon Danquah and other detainees on June 2, 1962, to ask “why the funds his family had been receiving during his imprisonment had been cut after his release.” This caused Mr. Mahoney, the new US Ambassador to Ghana to summon “the CIA chief of station to ask why he had not been advised of the agency’s association with Danquah.” Displeased with the explanation, “Mahoney flew to Washington two days later and personally informed Kennedy about the matter” (Mahoney). Was this not the highest treason that a citizen could commit against his/her country? Secondly, how many regimes do we know that would permit such heinous crimes by an opposing party and simply detain them? With its hundreds of years of independence, military might and sophisticated intelligent global network, didn’t the British security forces arrest and detain suspects, after the terrorist bomb exploded in Britain? Nobody should be reminded about the fate of the Taliban detainees in Guantanamo Bay, for harboring Usama Bin Laden and his al-Qaida forces in Afghanistan. In Ghana, after the stampede over Johnny Hanson’s display of Nkrumah’s photo in Kumase in 1971, did not Dr. Busia’s government “forced through parliament a certificate of urgency within seventeen hours, a bill making the possession and display of the photograph of Nkrumah and mentioning of his name a criminal offence?”

On January 8, 1964, the Chief Security Officer ordered the arrest and detention of J. B. Danquah, under the PDA, due to his complicity in the Constable Seth Ametewe’s assassination attempt on Nkrumah on January 2, 1964. Connected to this was the report by two members of the police band that certain politicians, through their boss, also tried to persuade them to shoot Nkrumah as he “approach the band to congratulate them after their performance” at Flagstaff House” (Forward Ever, 1977; also see the Exemption Committee’s report for details of personal accounts and names of those involved in the assassination attempts on Nkrumah’s life, coup plots and bomb explosions). It must be recalled that in 1963, Danquah was found with his hand-written, signed speech to be delivered after his anticipated success of the La-Balawashie (Obetsebi-Lamptey hideout) coup plot. Danquah was sly and used other people to carry out his coup plots. But, as Dr. Tetteh (1999) points out, Danquah and other traitors were detained “after the Chief security officer had made sure that adequate reasons were given to justify” their detention, and that such people “were detained before Nkrumah could be informed of their detention” (Tetteh). In fact, no Head of State would disagree with his Chief Security Officer for detaining people under law, who were in the act of plotting to overthrow his government.

Next, the accusation that Danquah and other detainees were tortured in detention was one of the many ill-conceived fabrications orchestrated to discredit Nkrumah and his government by the agents of the NATO, including such foreign scholars like Prof. Bretton, whose African trips were partly founded by the CIA (Bing). Jeffrey Bign points out that, “no prison official with whom” he personally spoke at Ussher Fort suggested that Danquah “had been treated other than well and after the coup, if it had been otherwise, there was no reason why these officers should said so.” What is also remarkable was the traitors’ (coup makers) inability “to dig up any authentic case of ill-treatment or execution for treason or subversion” (Bing). Bing personally visited Obetsebi-Lamptey twice in hospital and talked to his doctors. His relatives also visited him in hospital. At the time of his arrest for financing and orchestrating the bomb attacks (see the Exemption Committee’s report), Obetsebi-Lamptey was suffering from an advanced stage of cancer. Hence, “Nkrumah arranged for him to receive expert medical attention in the private ward of a hospital which was wonderfully equipped (Marais, 1972). In the case of Danquah, Nkrumah “saw that he (Danquah) received special medical attention. To this end, Nkrumah assigned his best friend Dr. Seth Cudjoe (also a Pan-Africanist) to provide medical care for J. B. Danquah (Marais, 1972); and indeed, Dr. Cudjoe “prescribed medicines” for Danquah. Besides, Danquah “was allowed sandals, clothing and his own blanket.” The sister of Danquah’s second wife, who had always been a friend of Nkrumah, visited Danquah in prison and returned to share his condition with Nkrumah. Furthermore, Danquah’s second wife also “visited Nkrumah fairly regularly and improvements were made to her house on Nkrumah’s instructions.” Also, Danquah’s wife “always saw Nkrumah when she requested an interview, which was never refused” (Marais, 1972). Through these visits, Danquah was also made aware of Nkrumah’s concern about his (Danquah’s) welfare and health. When Danquah died, his wife wrote to Nkrumah asking for private funeral rites; Genoveva Marais, who was very close to Nkrumah, saw the letter herself (Marais). Nkrumah on the other hand, broke “down and wept bitterly and mourned for weeks on hearing the death of Dr. Danquah. “I am his witness,” Dr. Tetteh (1990) testifies.

In fact, it is not likely that any Head of State, even in the West, would have arranged for Danquah and Obetsebi-Lamptey to receive such special attention in similar circumstances. But Nkrumah did so because of his strong sense of spirituality like Gandhi (meatless diet, loath for alcohol, fasting, meditation, yoga etc.), his anti-capital punishment philosophy and attitude of forgiveness. For instance, Nkrumah not only appointed Danquah as Director of Legal Education in the country, but also to the membership of the Ghana Arts and Academy of Science (Bing). Tawia Adamafio told me in his James Town chambers in Accra in May 1972 that Nkrumah had assured him of a presidential pardon for himself, Ako Adjei and C. Coffie-Crabbe, upon Nkrumah’s return from Hanoi, to coincide with Ghana’s Independence Day anniversary on March 6, 1966.** This was typical of Kwame Nkrumah. And those who did not understand Nkrumah’s forgiving heart and anti-capital punishment “took it to be a lack of stability in” his character (Marias). Marais and others have stated that had Nkrumah permitted the use of conventional practice of execution of coup plotters, bomb throwers and assassins, “he would have [perhaps] remained in power and his enemies been given no opportunity to plot and counterplot against him” (Marais). But Nkrumah’s spiritual values and attitude of forgiveness encouraged the Danquah-Busia-Lamptey gangsters to continue their barbaric and uncivilized acts of terrorism in the country with the hope of killing Kwame Nkrumah and overthrowing his government. Hence, in her letter to the US President Kennedy, Barbara Ward (former Director of BBC) explained that, “Ghana has real security problems and has done much better than many other newly-independent inexperienced governments” (Mahoney). Given all these, Kwame Nkrumah DID NOT and COULD NOT have detained Danquah and other coup plotters, conspirators, assassins, or bomb throwers. The bloodthirsty enemies of the State were detained under the law of the land by the security forces.

The PDA, as Prof. Kwame Ninsin (1991) points out, has been “appreciated and vindicated, as borne out by its repeated use under different titles, by successive governments after” the overthrown of Kwame Nkrumah’s government; and that, “some of the regimes that have resorted to a revised version of the PDA have been the most devout and vehement critics of the CPP.” In fact, evidence collected at the Exemption Committee of personal accounts of some Ghanaians, including close associates of Nkrumah who testified to having actually subverted Nkrumah’s government “by financing the importation of various bombs and grenades which killed school children and Young Pioneers,” vindicated Nkrumah’s government (Tetteh). Therefore, to ignore the ferocious and treasonable acts of Danquah, Busia and their cronies, and call the VICTIM KWAME NKRUMAH “a dictator” or “tyrant” for the passage of the PDA and its implementation by the security forces is PREPOSTEROUS. Anything short of the PDA would have thrown the fragile State of Ghana into social chaos and civil war like Congo, Angola, Zimbabwe, India-Pakistan etc. And if there had been a civil war, Nkrumah’s unparalleled socio-economic, educational, industrial, scientific, technological, agricultural and cultural accomplishments in Ghana would have not occurred. Secondly, most post-independence Ghanaians might not have been born, while some of my generation (including me) would not be alive today. Certainly, there would not have been the unitary State of Ghana for the NPP government to set aside $20 million for the celebration of its 50th birthday.

Therefore, President Kufour should have the courage to erect a Statue of the School Girl, who was chosen to die in the bomb explosion at Kulungugu on August 1, 1962, at the airport facing Kotoka, before the arrival of the international guests for the 50th Anniversary of Ghana’s Independence.

** Nkrumah’s dismissal of Justice Arku Korsah (whom Nkrumah appointed) as Chief Justice was caused by his failure to follow the State protocol and inform Nkrumah, as the president, in advance about the verdict (a split decision) of the Kulungugu bomb trial involving Tawia Adamofio, Ako Adjei, C. Coffie-Crabbe and others. Rather, Nkrumah learnt about it while in the shower through his house attendant, who also heard it on the radio. Before joining the CPP, Adamafio was a fierce member of the Ga-Shifimo Kpee. Also, while a leading member of Dr. Busia’s Ghana Congress in 1953, Adamafio compared Nkrumah to Adolf Hitler leading a band of illiterates against the Ghana Congress led by intellectual giants, that would salvage the country from “a one party evil, the evil of dictatorship” (Awoonor, 1991). As Kanu explained, “by a strange coincidence, the Minister of Information, Adamafio had not accompanied Nkrumah in his car on this particular visit, although normally at his side.” When Tawia Adamafio and Ako Adjei arrived at the hospital where Nkrumah was undergoing a painful operation, Adamafio’s first question was “Is the President dead?” (Kanu, 1982). The question is if those responsible for the bomb blast at Kulungugu on August 1, 1961 “were Northerners based at Lome,” as Adamafio (1982) claims, why then did Warrant Officer Edward Tetteh, charged with supplying the grenade for the explosion, commit suicide during the trial on September 28, 1962?

Kwame Botwe-Asamoah, Ph.D.
Professor of African and African American History University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
Pelicles 12 years ago

This is like an witness account of someone who was at the scene of an event taking place. Very insightful.

This is like an witness account of someone who was at the scene of an event taking place. Very insightful.
forson 12 years ago

Thank you so much for enlighting and explaining the fall of Kwame Nkrumah`s government, but no matter how you will explained, no UP/NPP sons and daughters will definitely agree with you, but those of us who knew exactly what ...
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Thank you so much for enlighting and explaining the fall of Kwame Nkrumah`s government, but no matter how you will explained, no UP/NPP sons and daughters will definitely agree with you, but those of us who knew exactly what happened in the days of Nkrumah will agree with you that it was a true History you´re given.
Maclean 12 years ago

Mr Kojo Tamakloe either you have deliberately avoided bringing out the flaws of Nkrumah or you are just trying to instigate argument. I was alive the 47 years ago you are talking about. What happened before that? There are tw ...
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Mr Kojo Tamakloe either you have deliberately avoided bringing out the flaws of Nkrumah or you are just trying to instigate argument. I was alive the 47 years ago you are talking about. What happened before that? There are two sides to every story. I do not mingle in politics but fair ground must always be the norm.
sojaman 1 12 years ago

My Uncle was released from Detention on February 24, 1966. He returned and kept me in school and now I am over 60. I am caring his children among mine. It was the BEST day in my life. Damnnnnnnnnnn Kwame Nkrumah

My Uncle was released from Detention on February 24, 1966. He returned and kept me in school and now I am over 60. I am caring his children among mine. It was the BEST day in my life. Damnnnnnnnnnn Kwame Nkrumah
AWUDU 12 years ago

Sojaman1, it's so sad that your uncle had to be imprisoned by Kwame Nkrumah, but what did he do to be imprisoned by Nkrumah? Was he sabotaging Nkrumah's progressive policies? Was he sabotaging Africa dream for freedom? Was he ...
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Sojaman1, it's so sad that your uncle had to be imprisoned by Kwame Nkrumah, but what did he do to be imprisoned by Nkrumah? Was he sabotaging Nkrumah's progressive policies? Was he sabotaging Africa dream for freedom? Was he working in the interest of the enemy CIA, who eventually condoned with your ilk to overthrow the most illustrious government in Africa, never paralleled to this day? Thank God you survived to see what Ghana has become! Pity you, but damnnn you, too!

Okyeame 12 years ago

Supposing NPP would be proclaimed the sole party in Ghana and all opposition members are thrown into jail or NDC is proclaimed the sole political party what would you have done. CPP was proclaimed the only Political Party an ...
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Supposing NPP would be proclaimed the sole party in Ghana and all opposition members are thrown into jail or NDC is proclaimed the sole political party what would you have done. CPP was proclaimed the only Political Party and Nruma LIFE PRESIDENT

Yes the CIA took part in it but who caused it Nkrumah himself,his policies were chocking the people so during the time of the coup nobody fought for him it took Kotoka,Afifa and Harley less than 48 hours and it was over. Just after that there was mass jubilation in the whole country and that shows how frustrated the people were.
Nkruma definately did good things but the wrong way for example throwing money into Guinea and Mali was wrong because he incured the displeasure of the powers that be France et al. His ministers were corrupt to the teeth and so JJR would have executed him as well if he came to meet him alive.
Think about it if deposing Nkruma was that bad to the people how come they still honor the coup makers,Kotoka international airport ringing a bell?
So my brother Nkruma did many good things but he isn't a saint.

To be honest with you Kwame Nkruma was a brutal dictator
AWUDU 12 years ago

Okyeame, while I do not agree with you wholly, you still are balanced and make a lot of sense, and so thank you. I still wonder why Kotoka's name is still on that airport! The J.B. Danquah people may not have been absolutely ...
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Okyeame, while I do not agree with you wholly, you still are balanced and make a lot of sense, and so thank you. I still wonder why Kotoka's name is still on that airport! The J.B. Danquah people may not have been absolutely bad bud the were venomous incompetents, and sunk Ghana faster, if you want to argue that Nkrumah's policies had begun to sink the counter. See, that guy Sojaman1, if he was writing from somewhere in Ghana was probably using Akosombo 'nkanea', if in Tema then drives on the Motorway, etc. Show me something that Busia left, or Afrifra/Kotoka. So now what, Okyeame? Rawlings won't have executed Nkrumah, I can put my life down to that. I can almost swear that in Rawlings' crazy logic in June-Sept 1979, he would probably have spared the Afrifas, Acheampongs, Akuffos, etc. if he must execute them along with Nkrumah; i.e. in that crazy democratic logic, they would have been spared, and Ghana would be worse off. Perhaps it's insane for me to say, good thing Nkrumah had departed to Blessed Glory! So Rawlings was spared the agony of being torn between choosing to kill them or not. So sorry for this brutal truth.
Okyeame 12 years ago

I understand your frustration because our leaders really have failed us i will tell you that Nkruma didn't own a property of his own he was selfless he decentralised all the factories he had a vision but his people like Okutw ...
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I understand your frustration because our leaders really have failed us i will tell you that Nkruma didn't own a property of his own he was selfless he decentralised all the factories he had a vision but his people like Okutwer Bekoe,Krobo Adusei,Kwame Kwakye and all those varander boys as they used to call themselves betrayed him.They were corrupt,they unfortunately squandered the nations coffers. Awudu i saw it ,I am not reading from books. He trusted his people and they betrayed him.
AWUDU 12 years ago

I RESPECT YOU, OKYEAME. I REST MY CASE. THX FOR THE LESSONS. I WAS 4 WHEN NKRUMAH WAS OVERTHROWN.

I RESPECT YOU, OKYEAME. I REST MY CASE. THX FOR THE LESSONS. I WAS 4 WHEN NKRUMAH WAS OVERTHROWN.
Kofi Ata, Cambridge, UK 12 years ago

Mr Tamakloe, your article is just one sided and does not recognise any of Nkrumah's shortfalls as well as some of the achievements of the Busia regime, especially his rural development plan that began the rural electrificatio ...
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Mr Tamakloe, your article is just one sided and does not recognise any of Nkrumah's shortfalls as well as some of the achievements of the Busia regime, especially his rural development plan that began the rural electrification, health infrastructure development and good drinking water supplies in rural Ghana.

Yes, the CIA used Ghanaians to get rid of a government that was pro Soviet and the coup leaders were mistaken to have believed or assumed that the US would finance Ghana's development. The same US armed and financed the Contra Rebels in Nicaragua for years to kill themselves but after the Sandinista government led by Daniel Ortega lost elections to the Contra led government, US did not finance the new government. The US interest was the removal of governments that were pro Soviet and not the financing of the development of those countries. Ghana should have learnt lessons from that and put her house in order but NDC and NPP are still playing the same old games. Incompetence and corruption are everywhere.
luck 12 years ago

Tamakloe's central theme was the relevance of Nkrumah today and the conspiracy which was orchestrated by the West to bring him down.Certainty on this day when progressive Nkrumaist and Pan Africanist are pondering over the ac ...
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Tamakloe's central theme was the relevance of Nkrumah today and the conspiracy which was orchestrated by the West to bring him down.Certainty on this day when progressive Nkrumaist and Pan Africanist are pondering over the activities which took place this day in 1966,it will be a contradiction to start a comparative analysis between his achievements and those of past leaders.

The purpose of Tamakloe article here is not to compare and contrast achievements but to expose the treasonous occurrence of that day and the forces which conspired with our local cliques to make it possible.

As some of us broad over this day the lessons of his over throw and the message of his teaching must be our goal.May his soul rest in peace and his message flourish and translate his dream to reality.
Frank Agyena-Karikari 12 years ago

Tamakloe's posting is just one dided. The young must also be made aware of events that really led to the 1966 coup so that it is not repeated. Some of us were not that young and remember some of the things that brought Nkruma ...
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Tamakloe's posting is just one dided. The young must also be made aware of events that really led to the 1966 coup so that it is not repeated. Some of us were not that young and remember some of the things that brought Nkrumah down. If teh people fear the government, we have a dictator. That is what Nkrumah became. One party state, president for life etc. Even Nkrumah did not have a deputy. In as much as we must agree that Nkrumah achieved something for Ghana, we must also acknowledge the dark side of his administration.
C.Y. ANDY-K 12 years ago

Luck,

I think you've aptly addressed Kofi's concern. Kojo wasn't out to engage on a comparative analysis on a day like 24 Feb!

Yes, Busia also had some achievements just as many mistakes occurred under the CPP regime to ...
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Luck,

I think you've aptly addressed Kofi's concern. Kojo wasn't out to engage on a comparative analysis on a day like 24 Feb!

Yes, Busia also had some achievements just as many mistakes occurred under the CPP regime too. Personally, I wish Busia's Walatu Walasa Accra sewarage system and the road he was building to link the Mamprobi and Kaneshie Roads near Akoko Foto through Sukula and Mataheko in order to avoid using the Kaneshie Road and the daily insults of the market women had been completed b4 his overthrow. Of course, I didn't like that he built a road through my father's land adjacent to his own house. But Kojo's article is not abt these things. Let other do the comparison.

Andy-K
noordeen mohammed 12 years ago

yea... you are right about that... in fact we should learn.. but the black man never love to learn.

yea... you are right about that... in fact we should learn.. but the black man never love to learn.
DusTY-FooT-pHiloSophER 12 years ago

Well, his ‘full stops, brackets, commas and all other punctuation marks’ throughout the entire so-called article of his were off, big time. Now mate, such is a clear case of a “cut and paste article” done poorly. Prob ...
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Well, his ‘full stops, brackets, commas and all other punctuation marks’ throughout the entire so-called article of his were off, big time. Now mate, such is a clear case of a “cut and paste article” done poorly. Probably, someone wrote it for him to forward through and he proudly and spontaneously did exactly that, but ended up exposing his ignorance instead.
AWUDU 12 years ago

KOFI ATTA, THAT BEAUTIFUL DELICIOUS BUSIA CAKE STOPPED SOMEWHERE SOUTH OF KINTAMPO. IT REMAINED IN SOUTHERN GHANA. WE DIDN'T 'FEEL' IT BIMBILLA AND KPANDAI AND SANDEMA AND BOLE, AND DAMANGO AND SANBU.

KOFI ATTA, THAT BEAUTIFUL DELICIOUS BUSIA CAKE STOPPED SOMEWHERE SOUTH OF KINTAMPO. IT REMAINED IN SOUTHERN GHANA. WE DIDN'T 'FEEL' IT BIMBILLA AND KPANDAI AND SANDEMA AND BOLE, AND DAMANGO AND SANBU.
mensah abrampa 12 years ago

Kofi, I like your objectivity as opposed to the writer's lack of it. Though the Busia administration was short-lived it carved a niche for itself in just a couple of years with its rural-centered programs.
It's true Nkrumah' ...
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Kofi, I like your objectivity as opposed to the writer's lack of it. Though the Busia administration was short-lived it carved a niche for itself in just a couple of years with its rural-centered programs.
It's true Nkrumah's overthrow was CIA inspired and probably because Ghana was seen as a Soviet sattelite state by the America of the Cold War era but it was also a disaster waiting to happen.The Americans only capitalized on the chaotic situation in Ghana at the time.Nkrumah's socialism brought untold hardships to ghanaians. He asked ghanaians to "tighten their belts" but he was unable to stem the tide of corruption among CPP functionaries and Ministers of State. Remember socialism ,one party state and Nkrumah's life president declaration were all imposed on ghanaians after he had corralled some opposition parliamentarians into unspecified jail terms at Nsawam Medium Security Prison and forced some into exile.
Much as I love Nkrumah for his visionary leadership that encompassed the entire continent, his chariama and oratorial skills I loathed his dictatorial tendencies.I'd rather be a free man,an agent unto myself under the law than to be dictated to by another mortal. The free market economy which was finally embraced by Mr Rawlings after years of failure experimenting with moribund socialist ideas had been one of the distinguishing differences between the UP tradition and Nkrumah's CPP. The 180 degrees turn in economic policy by the Rawlings administration of the 1990s was the right decision for the country.With the demise of the former USSR as a result of various factors but chiefly failing economic policies I can safely conclude that had we turned to the free market economy proposition by the opposition in the 1950s Ghana's economy would have been way ahead of the 4 Asian tiger economies of today.As painful as Nkrumah's overthrow was and is to many people it was the bitter remedy for our nation's ailing economy and politics.
Kofi (my name too)I found out you went to St. Augustines. I was in Mfantsipim probably around the time you were at Augusco. Alfred Bannerman(Kwabotwe) was my mate and friend.I guess George Daniels, the sprinter was in your year group or a year or two before or after you. Ernest Honny and some members of your Relics school Band were also friends.
kwadwoboat 11 years ago

ok, snr. then the vice-president was your mate, including dr. chambas(chambo); well, for your info, i was your jnr. in saapiko(sarbah-picot).
please don't remind the augusco snr. the day albino (snr. albion mends) beat jupit ...
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ok, snr. then the vice-president was your mate, including dr. chambas(chambo); well, for your info, i was your jnr. in saapiko(sarbah-picot).
please don't remind the augusco snr. the day albino (snr. albion mends) beat jupiter in the 100yds at interco on their own grounds. cheers snr....!!!!
Frank Agyena-Karikari 12 years ago

Okyeame, when I say this, the Nkrumahist people don't want accept it. We know He did some good things but he later became a tyrant and his own party members including Gbedemah became afraid of him. How would he want to make G ...
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Okyeame, when I say this, the Nkrumahist people don't want accept it. We know He did some good things but he later became a tyrant and his own party members including Gbedemah became afraid of him. How would he want to make Ghana a one party state and himself president for life? As at 1964 Ghanaians had started queueing for cartain basic needs like soap, sugar, milk etc. His Young Pioneer turned to be a kind of informants where kids were encouraged to spy on their parents. Then, he put Ghana too much in the middle of the Cold War between Soviet Union and USA. That brought the CIA to be involved in his overthrow. I very much remember the jubilations that went on when it was announced that Nkrumah was overthrown. Many of his people were attacked and beaten. This did not happen in Kutu's coup. This tells how frustrated and tired people had become of him. So with Nkrumah, he did a lot for Ghana but he caused his own downfall. I know by this posting, I have opened a can of worms
Okyeame 12 years ago

No you will not open a can of worms they all know that you are telling the truth that is why up to today no one is agitating for Kotokas's name to be removed from the airport. Also ask yourself why the CPP isn't appealling t ...
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No you will not open a can of worms they all know that you are telling the truth that is why up to today no one is agitating for Kotokas's name to be removed from the airport. Also ask yourself why the CPP isn't appealling to anybody
Kofi B 12 years ago

You see! the uneducated will continue to be confused. If yuor criminal uncle was jailed and got released by stupid soldiers you are proud of that.

You see! the uneducated will continue to be confused. If yuor criminal uncle was jailed and got released by stupid soldiers you are proud of that.
Osagyefu1 12 years ago

Was your uncle not a thief who had wanted to illegally export tons of diamong and he was caught in the act?
Why complain ?
You are a bundle of fagots.

Was your uncle not a thief who had wanted to illegally export tons of diamong and he was caught in the act?
Why complain ?
You are a bundle of fagots.
Alhaji 12 years ago

Sojaman1 or what ever you call yourself, your uncle was a murder cause he goes round throwing bombs all over killing innocent school children,my brother was killed by your uncle,so to hell with you and your uncle.Ilittrate fo ...
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Sojaman1 or what ever you call yourself, your uncle was a murder cause he goes round throwing bombs all over killing innocent school children,my brother was killed by your uncle,so to hell with you and your uncle.Ilittrate fool, your uncle was a dog.All of them are animals,even Akuffo Addo is an animal.Foolish group of beings. Do you think your education is better than somebodys life,stupid idiot,Lunatic fool,go hide somewhere fool.
forson 12 years ago

Did you first of all ask your Uncle what led to his imprisonment? My Uncle wasn´t imprisoned. Find out, before you become a fool in UP/NPP

Did you first of all ask your Uncle what led to his imprisonment? My Uncle wasn´t imprisoned. Find out, before you become a fool in UP/NPP
BERIMA KOFI AGYEI 12 years ago

NPP is the course of our present predicaments and will keep strugling untill they appologise to ghanaians about their envolvement in the colapse of Dr, Kwame Nkrumas gorverment.The evil that men do gose after them.

NPP is the course of our present predicaments and will keep strugling untill they appologise to ghanaians about their envolvement in the colapse of Dr, Kwame Nkrumas gorverment.The evil that men do gose after them.
oga yum yum 12 years ago

leave us alone, buddy

leave us alone, buddy
okomfo 12 years ago

NOTE J. B. DANQUAH WAS A TRAITOR, A JUDAH WHO ASSISTED IN OVERTHROWING DR. KWAME NKRUMAH'S DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT IN 1966. THIS BROUGHT AN END TO GHANA'S AND AFRICA'S GROWTH IN ECONONMICS, POLITICS AND SOCIAL LIVES ...
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NOTE J. B. DANQUAH WAS A TRAITOR, A JUDAH WHO ASSISTED IN OVERTHROWING DR. KWAME NKRUMAH'S DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT IN 1966. THIS BROUGHT AN END TO GHANA'S AND AFRICA'S GROWTH IN ECONONMICS, POLITICS AND SOCIAL LIVES. PP AND NPP STANDS FOR DISASTER FOR GHANA AND AFRICA. THEY LOVE NO PROGRESS.
GHANANI 12 years ago

To say Osagyefo killed J.B Danquah shows how ignorant you are.In the first place J.B.Danquah committed an offence against the security of the nation,was arrested and put on trial before a competent court of law.He was found g ...
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To say Osagyefo killed J.B Danquah shows how ignorant you are.In the first place J.B.Danquah committed an offence against the security of the nation,was arrested and put on trial before a competent court of law.He was found guilty and jailed accordingly.Osagyefo wanted to release him from jail but but his own akyem people stood vehemently against his release citing the reason that he was a divisive figure hindering peace in Akyem Abuakwa.Unfortunately he died of natural causes while still in prison.According to the late Justice Nii Amaa Ollenu[chief Justice]Osagyefo never did anything unlawful.Even those detained under the Preventive Detention Act were lawfully detained.They acted to undermine the peace and stability of the nation.If J.B Danquah had not committed an offence against the state and jailed he would not have died in prison.
OMANBA. 12 years ago

Thanks Ghanani.You have said it all.Busia and J.B.Danquah were arch enemies of Osagyefo and wanted to kill him.

Thanks Ghanani.You have said it all.Busia and J.B.Danquah were arch enemies of Osagyefo and wanted to kill him.
Okyeame 12 years ago

If Nkruma is that good how come we still honor the coup makers by naming the airport after KOTOKA?

If Nkruma is that good how come we still honor the coup makers by naming the airport after KOTOKA?
OBIBINI. 12 years ago

Who honours Kotoka and Afrifa?Only the NPP which is made up of poodles of the colonialists honour them.

Who honours Kotoka and Afrifa?Only the NPP which is made up of poodles of the colonialists honour them.
JAMES PEROVER 12 years ago

WHERE ARE KOMENDA AND ASUTUARE SUGAR FACTORIES?VALCO,AKOSOMBO HYDRO POWER.TEMA MOTOR WAY,JOB 600,ACCELERATED EDUCATION,BONSA RUBBER FACTORY,KUMASI SHOE FACTORY,NSAWAM ASEBU,ABOSO GLASS FACTORY,SALTPOND CERAMICS GIHOC CHAINS.T ...
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WHERE ARE KOMENDA AND ASUTUARE SUGAR FACTORIES?VALCO,AKOSOMBO HYDRO POWER.TEMA MOTOR WAY,JOB 600,ACCELERATED EDUCATION,BONSA RUBBER FACTORY,KUMASI SHOE FACTORY,NSAWAM ASEBU,ABOSO GLASS FACTORY,SALTPOND CERAMICS GIHOC CHAINS.THE OFF SPRINGS OF THE UP/DANQUAH MUST ANSWER.
Okyeame 12 years ago

Do you know anything about the Divestiture Programme by the P/NDC? it was during that time that all those factories were sold to NDC supporters. Nana Konadu can tell you more about this because she owns the Nsawam Cannery as ...
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Do you know anything about the Divestiture Programme by the P/NDC? it was during that time that all those factories were sold to NDC supporters. Nana Konadu can tell you more about this because she owns the Nsawam Cannery as we speak
KOMOO FRANCE. 12 years ago

Kwame Nkruma was the anatomy of Africa dictatorship.Under the PDA opponents were detained without trial.He declared Ghana one party state.The 24th feb coup was justified.

Kwame Nkruma was the anatomy of Africa dictatorship.Under the PDA opponents were detained without trial.He declared Ghana one party state.The 24th feb coup was justified.
okomfo 12 years ago

YOU ARE A SMALL MINDED FOOL. A BRAINWASHED EUROCENTRIC BLACK MAN THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE.

YOU ARE A SMALL MINDED FOOL. A BRAINWASHED EUROCENTRIC BLACK MAN THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE.
AWUDU 12 years ago

I couldn't agree with you more, Okomfo. The guy called Komoo-France has the brain as small as a pea ['groundnut,' may he understands that one]. He is the kind that Dr. Vincent Assise once quoted legend to say, "they better re ...
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I couldn't agree with you more, Okomfo. The guy called Komoo-France has the brain as small as a pea ['groundnut,' may he understands that one]. He is the kind that Dr. Vincent Assise once quoted legend to say, "they better remain silent and only be thought fools, than to speak and remove all doubt that they are indeed FOOLS." Komoo-France is one such FOOL!
MUGU YARO 12 years ago

AND WHAT IS THE SIZE OF YOUR BRAIN, SIR? THE FACT THAT YOU DO NOT AGREE ON ISSUE WITH SOMEBODY DOES NOT MAKE HIM A FOOL. OMG, WHEN SHALL GHANAIANS BECOME CIVILIZED?

AND WHAT IS THE SIZE OF YOUR BRAIN, SIR? THE FACT THAT YOU DO NOT AGREE ON ISSUE WITH SOMEBODY DOES NOT MAKE HIM A FOOL. OMG, WHEN SHALL GHANAIANS BECOME CIVILIZED?
AWUDU 12 years ago

Well, my brain is just as small as yours.

Well, my brain is just as small as yours.
Kofi B 12 years ago

You overthrow Dr. Nkrumah for what you ever wanted most-Democracy. Accept gay which one fruit of democracy and shut the fuck up!

You overthrow Dr. Nkrumah for what you ever wanted most-Democracy. Accept gay which one fruit of democracy and shut the fuck up!
Prof. Tutankhamun 12 years ago

WITH SERIOUS LY 100% AFRICANISAED RULES AND REGULATIONS.

WITH SERIOUS LY 100% AFRICANISAED RULES AND REGULATIONS.
KWABENA OHEMENG,LONDON. 12 years ago

Kojo as if by fate i have Osagyefo's book 'Africa Must Unite' right infront of me.I invite all africans especially ghanaians to read it.In the author's note section he wrote'unless Africa is politically united under an All-A ...
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Kojo as if by fate i have Osagyefo's book 'Africa Must Unite' right infront of me.I invite all africans especially ghanaians to read it.In the author's note section he wrote'unless Africa is politically united under an All-African Union Government there can be no solution to our political and economic problems'.Again in the introduction he wrote'We have to guard closely our hard-won freedom and keep it safe from the predatory designs of those who wish to reimpose their will upon us'.How truthful these two statements have turned out to be.Colonialism is not dead and is manifesting itself in different forms and undermining the political and economic progress of Africa.A united Africa is the most potent weapon to confront it.
Pelicles 12 years ago

Why do you think Africans can unite? Such unity in those day was just a hogwash in the sense that the Europeans powers were knee deep and would never let go their colonies.

Look at Europe. The European Unity was achievabl ...
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Why do you think Africans can unite? Such unity in those day was just a hogwash in the sense that the Europeans powers were knee deep and would never let go their colonies.

Look at Europe. The European Unity was achievable after their individual nation became self reliance. You do not try vainly to unite a continent when some people do not know their left from the right. The fact that Ghana became independent shouldn't be a recipe for others who are "too raw" to follow us.

Have we achieved that Unity? Why and what are the obstacles confronting us? If in the 21st century, such unity is "hard to come by" why then was it possible for Nkrumah to arrest the "bull by the horn" at that time?

The man should have taken a gradual approach by developing his young nation to the envy of all and stop using our money in setting up alliances and training camps to push other to achieve independence when they are not ready.
Okyeame 12 years ago

Thank you Pelicles,take even ECOWAS as an example. Thinking of African Unity is like chasing a mirage, with the French System of Assimilation effectively in place like that,no unity will be accepted by these powers

Thank you Pelicles,take even ECOWAS as an example. Thinking of African Unity is like chasing a mirage, with the French System of Assimilation effectively in place like that,no unity will be accepted by these powers
KWABENA OHEMENG,LONDON 12 years ago

Perhaps impossible because we even have cynical africans who always believe that we should have allowed the imperialists to rule us forever.What political apprenticeship did the colonalists go through to qualify to rule us.N ...
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Perhaps impossible because we even have cynical africans who always believe that we should have allowed the imperialists to rule us forever.What political apprenticeship did the colonalists go through to qualify to rule us.Nobody invited western nations to come and colonize Africa and even before they came to colonize us african countries had efficient political institutions in place.Colonization was purely an exploitative venture which benefited the colonizers and impoverished Africa.And that is why the colonizers will always work hard to undermine african countries drive to unite.
Okyeame 12 years ago

Why can't we be realistic here? how united are we even in our country Ghana, Ewe this ,Ashanti that,Northener this.What is wrong with developing our individual countries and live side by side in harmony? To me when they say A ...
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Why can't we be realistic here? how united are we even in our country Ghana, Ewe this ,Ashanti that,Northener this.What is wrong with developing our individual countries and live side by side in harmony? To me when they say African unity i don't even what they mean
nagy. italy 12 years ago

well interpretation of nkrumas vision.what did limann do for ghana.reform your cpp and win true election and rule with true democratic system not by imprison opponents.becareful of vision.if vision is reality, we must be livn ...
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well interpretation of nkrumas vision.what did limann do for ghana.reform your cpp and win true election and rule with true democratic system not by imprison opponents.becareful of vision.if vision is reality, we must be livng in paradise.our home ghana was dirty but Nkruma was using our money any how cleaning other countries in your so called pan africa.how much are we united in ghana talkless of africa.
Kwabena Gyamfi 12 years ago

What Tamakloe has written here is nothing but a pack of lies. Let me quote him "Cocoa farms gone to weed, queues for “ essential commodities” "

The above never occured under Dr Busia. It is a big lie. The "essential co ...
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What Tamakloe has written here is nothing but a pack of lies. Let me quote him "Cocoa farms gone to weed, queues for “ essential commodities” "

The above never occured under Dr Busia. It is a big lie. The "essential commodities" thing is a relic of Acheampong regime which was essentially Nkrumaist regime.

Nkrumah's overthrow in 1966 was God sent. Nkrumah and his ministers through corruption destroyed the economy. Ghana was on its knees economically. Ghana's problems today can be traced to Nkruamists.
odeneho atta krufi 12 years ago

The main reason for the 1966 coup was the hardships Ghanians were going through at that time. The economy was in shambles. Basic commodities were difficult to come by and the masses were suffering. Our foreign reserves were d ...
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The main reason for the 1966 coup was the hardships Ghanians were going through at that time. The economy was in shambles. Basic commodities were difficult to come by and the masses were suffering. Our foreign reserves were depleted.
The factories he built had not yet produced the dividends needed to sustain the economy at the time.
External shocks like the fall in cocoa prices were responsible for the abrupt collapse of the economy. A commodity that the country's economy was largely dependent on for its revenues.
Later the drop in cocoa prices from some 249 pounds to 96p was traced to have been surreptitiously manipulated by the west because of Nkrumah's increasing affiliation or blatant support for the communist east at the height of the cold war.

What's more he went further to imprison the members of the opposition blaming them for the country's problems instead of becoming proactive by showing consistency in solving the problems in the economy.

Nonetheless, he went ahead to impose a new and near authoritarian constitution on the neck of Ghanians, a constitution that undeservedly gave the executive too much power, sometimes usurping local and traditional authority.

Needless to say, this same constitution allowed him to turn the country into a one-party state which he callously succeeded through a referendum.

Suffice it to say, Nkrumah formed the People's brigade to protect himself sidelining the army and the police and disdainfully undermining their roles.
It was therefore not surprising that the coup was orchestrated by the police and army chiefs.
odeneho atta krufi 12 years ago

The main reason for the 1966 coup was the hardships Ghanians were going through at that time. The economy was in shambles. Basic commodities were difficult to come by and the masses were suffering. Our foreign reserves were d ...
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The main reason for the 1966 coup was the hardships Ghanians were going through at that time. The economy was in shambles. Basic commodities were difficult to come by and the masses were suffering. Our foreign reserves were depleted.
The factories he built had not yet produced the dividends needed to sustain the economy at the time.
External shocks like the fall in cocoa prices were responsible for the abrupt collapse of the economy. A commodity that the country's economy was largely dependent on for its revenues.
Later the drop in cocoa prices from some 249 pounds to 96p was traced to have been surreptitiously manipulated by the west because of Nkrumah's increasing affiliation or blatant support for the communist east at the height of the cold war.

What's more he went further to imprison the members of the opposition blaming them for the country's problems instead of becoming proactive by showing consistency in solving the problems in the economy.

Nonetheless, he went ahead to impose a new and near authoritarian constitution on the neck of Ghanians, a constitution that undeservedly gave the executive too much power, sometimes usurping local and traditional authority.

Needless to say, this same constitution allowed him to turn the country into a one-party state which he callously succeeded through a referendum.

Suffice it to say, Nkrumah formed the People's brigade to protect himself sidelining the army and the police and disdainfully undermining their roles.
It was therefore not surprising that the coup was orchestrated by the police and army chiefs.
Langalanga 12 years ago

kwabena korti bortor u r a foolish man.. If u dont know ur history then i believe u need to shut that ur smelly mouth ok... Back to school to learn Ghana pass history ok...

kwabena korti bortor u r a foolish man.. If u dont know ur history then i believe u need to shut that ur smelly mouth ok... Back to school to learn Ghana pass history ok...
Menua Kwadwo 11 years ago

so, you are educated and know ghana's "pass" history. OMG!!!!!! There is trouble in kwadwokrom.

so, you are educated and know ghana's "pass" history. OMG!!!!!! There is trouble in kwadwokrom.
Mad Max 12 years ago

Sometimes one is compelled to question the patriotism, sincerity and indeed the sanity of some individuals of the so -called "nkrumahist stock". These are the people whose parents like the father of the current illegitimate ...
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Sometimes one is compelled to question the patriotism, sincerity and indeed the sanity of some individuals of the so -called "nkrumahist stock". These are the people whose parents like the father of the current illegitimate and fraudster of a "419" president Ghana has in the interim, lived and enjoyed the good life (like what the Asiedu Nketias, the Totobi Kwakyes, the Ahwois, the Ayarigas, the Iddrisu Mahamas, the Okudzeto Ablakwas and all the NDC ministers and appointees are enjoying today).

Their parents in the then CPP looted state money like those in the NDC are doing today, some of them like Krobo Edusei buying themselves gold-plated beds - YES, GOLD-PLATED BEDS!!
The Labone and Kanda estates were shared among CPP ministers and apparatchiks. The sad thing is that they woefully mismanaged the economy. What was happening to Ghana then (under nkrumah’s CPP govt) could be compared to Ghana under the PNDC era or the state of
Cuba’s economy today.

The CPP enjoyed a monopoly of power. It was the sole officially-recognised political party in Ghana and Nkrumah as Ghana’s president “till death do us part”. No wonder the CPP is today struggling under a system where it has to compete for the hearts and minds of electorates.

The coup d’état that overthrew Nkrumah’s CPP government was actually long overdue in coming. Nkrumah had become so unpopular that his own insiders were plotting to eliminate him. If the truth is to be told as it were with God as the witness, NONE of the so-called bomb throwers arrested and tried in court were members of the UP. Kofi Crabbe, Ako Adjei and Tawiah Adamafio were all CPP government officials and real patriotic Ghanaians who had become so disillusioned by the institutionalized corruption of the CPP government they were serving in. CPP and NDC propaganda continues to label Up and NPP as bomb throwers and the stupid in our society who fit perfectly into the definition of stupidity believe them. Afterall STUPID IS KNOWING THE TRUTH, SEEING THE TRUTH BUT STILL BELIEVING THE LIES. This best describes today’s NDC & some CPP supporters.

If Nkrumah had not been kicked out Ghana, would today have found itself at par with countries like Guinea or Sierra Leone on the global poverty scale and level of development. 24th February 1966 therefore qualifies and indeed deserves to be celebrated as a very important milestone in our history – a true NATIONAL LIBERATION DAY.

The dead & buried communist ideology and its empty slogans that the CPP and NDC deafen our ears with on daily basis are just that – EMPTY SLOGANS and PROPAGANDA OF A DEAD IDEOLOGY.
Antwi 12 years ago

Mad max, in fact all that you have written is a trash. No sense. Why do you people of UP and PP tradition always think you are the paragon of knowledge and for that matter no one can do anything good. You people becoming very ...
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Mad max, in fact all that you have written is a trash. No sense. Why do you people of UP and PP tradition always think you are the paragon of knowledge and for that matter no one can do anything good. You people becoming very annoying. Big minds are talking. It is better to keep quiet and be thought as fools rather than speaking for people to know that you are a fool indeed.
Yaw 12 years ago

very typical,a fair minded intelligent person makes well illustrated point/comments,and all you come up with are insults?
You have in fact shot yourself in the foot and judging from it (your response)you're only jealous of p ...
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very typical,a fair minded intelligent person makes well illustrated point/comments,and all you come up with are insults?
You have in fact shot yourself in the foot and judging from it (your response)you're only jealous of people of UP,PP,PFP,and currently NPP decent.
Insult as much as you like but the true fact is the country Ghana would do much much better if the affairs of running this country were allowed in the hands of these people you detest so much for the same period of time your party/parties have ruled in Ghana.
BOY KOFI 12 years ago

I was only 12 years old in Elementary School form one on that fatal day.We went to school free and had free text books without paying a pesewa.I started school in 1959 at Sekondi where I was born.Parents used to pay school fe ...
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I was only 12 years old in Elementary School form one on that fatal day.We went to school free and had free text books without paying a pesewa.I started school in 1959 at Sekondi where I was born.Parents used to pay school fees and buy text books until Kwame Nkrumah introduced free elementary education in 1962 if I'm right.I remember we did not pay medical treatment,our environment was always clean,there were workers who take care of sanitation and so no.There was this Ghana Young Pioneers organisation that was spreading very fast for the youth.I admired their dressing and acrobatic display but never tried to be a member because I was in the Boys Scout.I witness many strike actions especially from the Ghana Railwys and Ports.My parents were worried about the way Nkrumah took over some European companies and administrations.My mother said Nkrumah was a very strong Catholic but wondered why he has now become a messiah.Until the 24th Feb.1966,Kwame Nkrumah was like a messiah,above every authority.When the soldiers took over power they made us to believe that Nkrumah worships "kanka nyame" a tin god.I remember how we used to draw a naked pregnant woman with a big black cooking pot on fire.Around the woman were 7 walking sticks and white handkerchiefs that represent the regions.As children,we did not know that this could be the"Dark days in Ghana" because there were lot of celebration activities everywhere.I only realised later that Nkrumah wanted Africans to be productive and competetive in International Affairs,that is why he said"blackman is capable of managing his own affairs".Thank you.
a patriot 12 years ago

Thanks bro.So u see how the UP and the soldiers lied about Nkrumah inorder to come and squander of money and independence?Within 3yrs of being in power,the stole everything,and now they still continue to be that.Kufour and hi ...
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Thanks bro.So u see how the UP and the soldiers lied about Nkrumah inorder to come and squander of money and independence?Within 3yrs of being in power,the stole everything,and now they still continue to be that.Kufour and his henchmen stole and stole and stole,and now Akuffo Addo want to come to continue the plunder.No way for them.
odeneho atta krufi 12 years ago

THAT WAS HOW GHANA'S ECONOMY WAS AT 1966.- JUSTIFIABLE REASON FOR THE COUP PART 2
Projects undertaken by the Government were generally entrusted to inefficient State Corporations, which lost money. As a result, the Internati ...
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THAT WAS HOW GHANA'S ECONOMY WAS AT 1966.- JUSTIFIABLE REASON FOR THE COUP PART 2
Projects undertaken by the Government were generally entrusted to inefficient State Corporations, which lost money. As a result, the International Monetary Fund, TO WHICH GHANA HAD APPLIED FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, recommended in 1965 that state enterprises should no longer depend on government subsidies. It said that, first, the operation of the Ghana Airways must be curtailed. This airline had been losing millions of Pounds each year on current account; but the position became particularly acute in 1965, because it was due to repay £376,000 for its Britannias, and £298,000 for its Viscounts, as well as over £1,000,000 for the new VC-10s and #340,000 for the Russian Ilyushins.

But Ghana Airways was only one of the state enterprises, which were such a heavy burden on the government's revenues and the balance of payments. Very large commitments to two German firms had been incurred on behalf of the State Cocoa Products Corporation. In 1965, the total commitments were almost £10,000,000 for the Tema plant and just over £2,000,000 for the plant at Takoradi. The interest on this vast sum was four per cent; but it was repayable over a relatively short period, and it was difficult to see how the Corporation's earnings could meet both the capital and interest repayments.

The State Publishing Corporation had a printing press at Tema, for which the East Germans had advanced £860,000 in 1965. Here the interest was low - two and half percent - but the sum was repayable in five years, in sterling. The Fishing Corporation, which had been running at a loss, also had commitments for trawlers running to some £15,000,000. State enterprises alone accounted for a high proportion of the interest and capital repayments, which were falling due in 1965 on loans and suppliers' credits.

The journal, West Africa (February 6, 1965), commented as follows on the state of Ghana's finances:

The most disappointing feature of Ghana's internal finance is the performance of 'state enterprises'. According to the Minister's budget speech, almost £40 million is now invested in such enterprises yet, with the exception of the Bank of Ghana, the Ghana Commercial Bank and the National Trading Corporation, virtually no dividend was paid to the Government last year on its enormous investment. Losses, on the other hand, have been prodigious; the State Mining Corporation, Ghana Airways, and the State Farms Corporation accounting for £13.6 million. It is true that the State Mining corporation was started largely to prevent unemployment and to continue production of gold, which has special significance in trade; that the State Farms Corporation inherited the losses of the Agricultural Development Corporation, and Ghana Airways is obliged by the Government to run certain prestige routes whether they pay or not. But in the estimates for the financing of Ghana's development, state enterprises are meant to contribute to revenue, not to be a drain on it.

In spite of all this and against advice, Nkrumah asked for more loans and suppliers' credits, which, surprisingly, were forthcoming. However, much of the money loaned went to waste through inefficient handling and servicing of contracts. For example, a contract was signed in 1961 for the supply of machinery and equipment by a Czechoslovakian organization for a rubber tyre factory. Of this Ministry of Industry's progress report, issued in 1964, stated that, although it had then been decided that this machinery and equipment must be delivered to Ghana, it was still, in 1964, lying in Czechoslovakia, where Ghana was being asked to pay rent for its storage. Similarly, a tannery, also to be built with Czechoslovakian machinery equipment under a contract signed in 1962, ran into difficulties because no arrangements had been made for the buildings. The Ghana Government had to ask for the shipments of further crates of machinery to be suspended, when 151 had already arrived, since it was difficult to store more. Machinery and equipment for an incandescent lamp factory, for which an agreement was signed in 1961 with a Hungarian organization, was still being stored in Hungary, at the Ghana Government's expense, in 1964. The civil engineering for this project was to be undertaken, and pre-financed, by a French contractor.

All this waste was at the Ghanaian public's expense. How was it going to be paid for? 'Whoever heard of a country being taken to court for nonpayment of debt?' Nkrumah would ask. As part of the answer, he decided to refine his own gold in Ghana and to back the Cedi with it. But this was no answer to the problem of large-scale corruption and inefficiency. The country's development plans had hitherto been financed largely from cocoa; but cocoa was no longer commanding a high price. Nkrumah had delighted in putting all the blame for this on Western capitalists and neo-colonialists. But Russia was buying Ghana's cocoa only to dump it on the Western market, obtaining for herself the hard currency, which Ghana doubly needed
MISMANAGEMENT GALORE:

"The government intends to place far greater emphasis on the development of Ghanaian cooperatives rather than encourage Ghanaians to start private business enterprises" (p256. Power And Class In Africa, Irvin Leonid Markovitz- PRNTICE-HALL ISBN 0-13?686642). This was in 1960. Three years later, he introduced a new investment code which, like the 7 -year development plan to be launched a year later, clearly saw foreign investment as a significant source of Ghana?s drive towards industrialization. The confusion was made complete on 11th March, 1964 on the occasion of the launching of the 7-year development plan?:

"Mr. Speaker, we will be hampering our advance to socialism if we were to encourage the growth of Ghanaian private capitalism in our midst. This would, of course be in antipathy to our economic and social objectives?(p.257 Ibid).

After the coup, Ayeh Kumi revealed (please, consult ASANTE IN THE 19TH CENTURY, by IVOR WILKS) how private enterprise was stifled in Ghana. One key strategy adopted was to make it difficult for people to obtain import licenses to purchase spare parts and raw materials for their businesses from abroad; and if and when they obtained them, they would delay the release of such imports from the ports. Some of them would go bad, others would become incur additional charges at the port that would make it unprofitable for their owners to claim them! In other cases, successful managers would either be bribed or forced to join state-owned companies controlled by CPP officials.

By 1963 it was evident that the once prosperous Ghanaian economy had began to falter badly, and even more disturbing, it was widely held that extensive political corruption had brought about this state of affairs. Having presumably cleansed its top-most levels in 1961 (at the time of the dawn broadcast), the Government could now reveal "the role that many lower level functionaries and foreign companies played in undermining the economy". The exposures of corruption in import licensing in 1964 and the formation of the Abraham commission on trade malpractices in 1965 appear in retrospect to have represented two government attempts to find scape-goats for its policy failures.

The import license racket, which implicated the chief of the (Police) Criminal Investigation Division as well as a number of other functionaries and a variety of Indian, Levantine and African merchants, seemed relatively unimportant at the time in terms of scope and substance: the report issued by the investigating Akainyah indicated that the sums involved were not very large. In light of the post-Nkrumah revelations concerning import licensing corruption, however, it could be argued that the commission either chose to report only enough evidence to allay public apprehensions, or it willfully closed its eyes to the true dimensions of the problem. In any case, Akainyah in 1964 expressed confidence that its very appointment had "operated as a stop-cork" on the import license racket and concluded its report with its pious pronouncement:

"It is unfortunate and pathetic that the love of money has become an obsession for some of us and drives us to any lengths without stopping to think of the consequences. So long as we can get the money, we do not care whether our country is plunged into bankruptcy"

Initially the problem was a fixed nominal exchange rate, maintained in the face of domestic inflation. Exchange controls followed, while inflation accelerated. The real price of foreign exchange was depressed to a small fraction of its level at independence, and forced the economy to become virtually autarkic. Recovery of the real exchange rate under the reform program has occurred, but its instability remains a serious source of uncertainty for all ? exporters, import competing producers, and foreign investors alike.
Pelicles 12 years ago

Drawing UP into the 1966 coup is an attempt to shift the goal post. Kotoka maybe your uncle or some close relative but his name was entirely missing from your article. WHY?

Now, don't you think Nkrumah was too young to b ...
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Drawing UP into the 1966 coup is an attempt to shift the goal post. Kotoka maybe your uncle or some close relative but his name was entirely missing from your article. WHY?

Now, don't you think Nkrumah was too young to be playing international politics at that time? Why? As a leader of a young nation, he shouldn't have taken that "rushy approach" in trying to unite the entire continent of Africa when he knew that the world powers were knee deep on the continent. There is no way he could have achieved that African Unity. Even some of his compatriots were against his approach. While some were arguing for gradual approach, his unyielding and uncompromising rushy approach earned him some enemies among some African leaders. You know that isn't it?

Nkrumah should have use his "vast experience" in developing his young nation to the envy of all. I hate coups but he should be blamed for that fateful day in our history. If he had taken the less aggressive style of "our independence is meaningless till it is linked to the total liberation of the entire continent of Africa" and think of his new nation, with the cash he was having, Ghana wouldn't be where we are now.

The man is gone and what is the fate of our "United Africa"? Look at what happened to Gaddafi. There is no way the world powers would leave any African leader alone if he/she is trying to steer deep into international politics.

Now, why did you leave Kotoka's name from your article? He was the leader of the 1966 coup right? I think all political parties were banned till the ban was lifted when PP won the election. Busia used that "Alliance Compliance Order" to clean Ghana by foreigners who are gradually overtaken the nation. At that time, how many Nigerians were living in Ghana. That Order was good because it rid the nation off too much filth.
Mercy 12 years ago

It is about time that we stopped looking at issues from a "partisan" perspective, and started looking at issues from an objective perspective - for it is only by doing so that we can find real solutions to our problem. Aftera ...
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It is about time that we stopped looking at issues from a "partisan" perspective, and started looking at issues from an objective perspective - for it is only by doing so that we can find real solutions to our problem. Afterall what one man sees as a half empty glass will be seen as a half full glass by another. We should cut out the blame game and stop putting a spin of history. Instead we should learn from the mistakes of the past and find the best way forward into the future.
odeneho atta krufi 12 years ago

The First Republican Constitution was effectively a constitutional coup d‘état effected by Nkrumah and the ruling party, using a series of constitutional amendments, constitutional revision, and ultimately a wholesale cons ...
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The First Republican Constitution was effectively a constitutional coup d‘état effected by Nkrumah and the ruling party, using a series of constitutional amendments, constitutional revision, and ultimately a wholesale constitutional rewrite.
The new constitution vested extraordinary power in the President.
In exercising his functions as President, the President was empowered to act in his own discretion and was not obliged to follow advice tendered by any other person.
Notably, the 1960 Constitution made no provision for a deputy or vice president. There were other notable provisions. ?Kwame Nkrumah is hereby appointed first President of Ghana, having been chosen as such before the enactment of the Constitution in a plebiscite conducted in accordance with the principle set out in Article 1 of the Constitution.?50 Further, ?the President may at any time by proclamation dissolve the National Assembly.

Further, ?the President may at any time by proclamation dissolve the National Assembly. As one commentator noted at the time, the presidential regime installed in Ghana‘s First Republic was extraordinary; ?unlike the American President, the President of Ghana can dissolve the National Assembly, unlike the Prime Minister of Britain, he could not be unseated by the legislature.
The amending power under the First Republican Constitution was divided between the Parliament and the People. The power to amend or repeal certain entrenched provisions in the Constitution was reserved to ?the People,? with the residual amending or legislative power going to Parliament.
The term ?Parliament? in Ghana‘s First Republican Constitution was used as a term of art, to mean the National Assembly (legislature) and the President acting jointly. While the legislative power was vested in Parliament, the Constitution also gave the first President (Nkrumah) power to unilaterally make provisions having the force of law. In addition, article 55 of the Constitution empowered the first President to give directions by ?legislative instrument? which may alter or repeal any existing law other than the Constitution.
In 1964, the amending power was exercised to introduce a one-party state and to grant to the President the power to remove judges of the Superior Courts at any time and for reasons which to him appear sufficient.Thus by 1964, Ghana‘s first President had exploited the amending powers to complete the subordination of all branches of government and institutions of state to the control and discretion of the President. Having installed a constitutional dictatorship and thus foreclosed all lawful avenue for a change of government, Nkrumah‘s government made itself and the country vulnerable to regime change by extra-constitutional methods. The military was to supply that method on February 24, 1966.
Yaw 12 years ago

When will these so-called Nkrumaists accept that despite all the hype about him (Nkrumah),most of the problems and hardships facing Ghana,were as a result of his short sighted vision and his attitude of only i know better.
O ...
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When will these so-called Nkrumaists accept that despite all the hype about him (Nkrumah),most of the problems and hardships facing Ghana,were as a result of his short sighted vision and his attitude of only i know better.
One can pinpoint so many things done wrong by this power drunk dictator who kept squandering the country's resources for his eagerness to rule Africa which was and still very ambitious impossible task for any rational being to even contemplate.
Please stop hailing this Nkrumah person as if he was a kind of a saint.
How can any good leader with his nation and her citizens at heart eliminate people who don't agree with him?
In fact,there are so many factors i can point out as to why it was a good thing that Nkrumah was chased out of office but as always,very typical and so stupid of these believers of communist ideology,they will ignore them but one thing they should be grateful and thankful to people who lost and risked their lives to stop him and others from making or turning Ghana to dictatorship and reign of terror,is the freedom of speech they're enjoying now which was unheard of during the reign of their mentor.
These people now have the chance to air their ill thought of views and yet keep insulting the very people who made possible for them.
I say for once stop being so naive and start contributing something positive to take Ghana forward instead of putting your hopes on a dead person whose many mistakes and wrong judgements,we're suffering from.
Lexus 12 years ago

AN ULTRA-TRIBALIST MASQUERADING AS AN NKRUMAHIST.

Kojo T, be your own self for a change and stop pretending to be a patriotic citizen. Even toddlers can see through your ulterior motives.
Stop pretending to have ever lik ...
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AN ULTRA-TRIBALIST MASQUERADING AS AN NKRUMAHIST.

Kojo T, be your own self for a change and stop pretending to be a patriotic citizen. Even toddlers can see through your ulterior motives.
Stop pretending to have ever liked Nkrumah, let alone adore what he stood for.
You conveniently left Gbedemah out of your 'short' story. This was a trusted Lieutenant of Osagyefo whose grand thievery collapsed Nkrumah's regime, to all intents and purposes. Then, of course, you seem to be amnesic of the 'gargantuan' role played by the Liberator and Mightiest Warrior ever, Osabarima Akwasi Kotoka, of very Blessed Memory, on 2/24/1966. Mentioning Kotoka's name positively, while pretending to be an Nkrumahist would put you in a deep conflict, you tribalist jerk.
Kojo T, spare forumers of your cacophony, and jump in front of a fast-moving Amtrak train.
Kojo T, you are a stupid idiot.
Antwi 12 years ago

Lexus, can open your brain and reason well into the man's article before the gun shot.

Lexus, can open your brain and reason well into the man's article before the gun shot.
tonny 12 years ago

stupid people go and exhume that dead body to rule GHANA again.this is the reason why we cant progress is we still glorify ourself in the past.iam in canada is occasionally that you hear the name of their first leader.move fo ...
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stupid people go and exhume that dead body to rule GHANA again.this is the reason why we cant progress is we still glorify ourself in the past.iam in canada is occasionally that you hear the name of their first leader.move forward and stop the nonsense.your nkrumah did nothing the mess we are facing now is because of him.after independence the british left us nearly $300,000,000.we were leading producer of cocoa, we have gold, timbers,diamond etc,give me break with your nkruma stories.of all these resources our population was paltry 5000,000.face reality and blame nkruma.give me break.
Koku Kesedovoo 12 years ago

You forgot to mention that the CIA recruited Harley who also recruited Kotoka. Both of them hailed from Anyako, The united party had no role in the coup. Unfortunately my people have played a significant role in all the coup ...
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You forgot to mention that the CIA recruited Harley who also recruited Kotoka. Both of them hailed from Anyako, The united party had no role in the coup. Unfortunately my people have played a significant role in all the coup that has taken place in Ghana,
We have to focus on productivity and not rely on the government for jib security, The government is just to provide a conduicieve enverionment for jobs to be created by the private individuals,
Pelicles 12 years ago

Kojo Tamakloe never mentioned anything about his folks who were the architect of the 1966 coups and subsequent ones.

Kotoka led the 1966 coup and Efo Kojo is heaping all the blame on UP. I do not know if Kotoka, Deku and H ...
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Kojo Tamakloe never mentioned anything about his folks who were the architect of the 1966 coups and subsequent ones.

Kotoka led the 1966 coup and Efo Kojo is heaping all the blame on UP. I do not know if Kotoka, Deku and Harley were under the UP umbrella. Efo Kojo should have hold his people responsible for our backward march because all coups in Ghana, were spearheaded by his men from the Volta region.

Kotoka-----------1966

Agbo and Serlomey----1972

Rawlings----------1979 & 1981
JOE, UK 12 years ago

Thank you Kojo for this article

Thank you Kojo for this article
Mawuli 12 years ago

Kpjo Tamakloe is one of those diehard socialists that believe that by now Kwame Nkrumah would have transformed Ghana into PARADISE. Keep on dreaming. The overthrow of Nkrumah was appropriate. If not Ghana would have gone like ...
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Kpjo Tamakloe is one of those diehard socialists that believe that by now Kwame Nkrumah would have transformed Ghana into PARADISE. Keep on dreaming. The overthrow of Nkrumah was appropriate. If not Ghana would have gone like the numerous Eastern European countries and Nkrumah would have killed many more Ghanaians to survive in power. Kudos to Kotoka and Afrifa.
Ken Atta-Boakye 12 years ago

If you want to rewrite the history of Ghana you need to be more objective. You cannot sidestep the facts. You failed to explain why most Ghanaians were happy with the coup. The nation was engulfed in demonstrations in support ...
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If you want to rewrite the history of Ghana you need to be more objective. You cannot sidestep the facts. You failed to explain why most Ghanaians were happy with the coup. The nation was engulfed in demonstrations in support of the coup. Did that mean anything to you? I understand that there is always a positive and a negative to every issue. If you take a side account for the other side too! This is how we can believe you.
Repugnant. 12 years ago

Most Ghanaians thought they were happy especially ashantis, because the coup makers and the CIA said so. “Commenting on the recent coup in Ghana , Robert W. Komer, a special assistant to the president, says in a memo to Pr ...
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Most Ghanaians thought they were happy especially ashantis, because the coup makers and the CIA said so. “Commenting on the recent coup in Ghana , Robert W. Komer, a special assistant to the president, says in a memo to President Johnson that the overthrow of the Nkrumah government was “another example of a fortuitous windfall.” He gloats over the win noting that “Nkrumah was doing more to undermine our interests than any other black African” and that the “new military regime is almost pathetically pro-Western.” He then goes on to emphasize that the US should “follow through skillfully and consolidate such successes.” He explains: “A few thousand tons of surplus wheat or rice, given now when the new regimes are quite uncertain as to their future relations with us, could have a psychological significance out of all proportion to the cost of the gesture. I am not arguing for lavish gifts to these regimes—indeed, giving them a little only whets their appetites, and enables us to use the prospect of more as leverage”. But we rejoiced and went on to do their bidding

. Behind the scene of the gun holding military was the so called democrats and law abiding party called the United Party , the forbears of the NPP. They branded every thing by Osagyefo as wrong . The 7 year development plan was a “ communist Plan”, the Volta dam and the energy from it a waste and went about closing and leaving the factories for which loans had been contracted to go to waste. The State , they preached should not be producing goods and services. Individuals would do a better job . But No individuals stepped up as most did not have the entrepreneurial ability, capital and skills to run these enterprises . Then they sent away the labor on the farms, under the ‘aliens compliance order” and Ghana moved from No 1 cocoa producer to No 5.These people were given 2 weeks that is 10 working days to establish their residency or nationality . Of course all had to come to Accra to do that . An impossible task . Foreign exchange was scarce so they Devalued the cedi telling us it would boost exports. We asked ,what exports , as we had closed the manufacturing units and were importing everything . “ Import substitution’, became “export substitution” . Production gave way to consumption. “ Do not worry we know best. We are Professors from Oxford as compared to the verandah boys” .By 1969 , the so called elite and intelligentsia were fully in control, Professor Busia as Prime Minister and Akuffo Addo as President. In spite of the foundation laid , Ghana was in reverse gear. Cocoa farms gone to weed, queues for “ essential commodities” . No direction on anything except the privileged few at the top. Parliament was full of semi literate and illiterates whose job was to come in big clothes and shout “ yeah, yeah” . Every where was neglect and decay . Busia himself was heard to say, “ they told us democracy will bring prosperity, but where is the money”. Mr Joe Appiah a staunch UP could not stand the discrimination and left to team up with Attoh Quarshie. But it was the incompetence and the total lack of direction by these leaders that astounded me. Researchers can find out from the Ghanaian papers in the archives the sheer absence of any productive effort from about July 1971 to Jan 13 1972 when the PP was put out of its misery by the then Col Kutu Acheampong . What a missed opportunity as all that was needed were 1. Cash to power the industries set up and 2 Better management . We failed .We failed Miserably This put Ghana in the wilderness

Today 47 years later , the wounds have not healed and where they have the scars still remain . By 1983 nearly a million Ghanaians had to come home from Nigeria as refugees . Ghana “must go” and some jumped into the sea and drowned out of frustration . The dream of Greener pasture gone sour. From those working as 2 “ nailla”, to Professors and project managers , town and City planners to teachers , to shoe shine and dog chain vendors . Some have since panned out to other parts of the world. China , japan, South Pole, North pole and mundane places as USA, UK, Germany , Italy , Zambia, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Papua New Guinea , Australia, Canada.
EZEKIEL 12 years ago

From reliable Source....Intra-African Trade...10%
Tntra-EU...63%
Intra-Americas....40%
Let's do more on the 10% and our GDP and Un-employment will also be better!
Of course,we NEED sound POLICIES, but SINCE WHEN do Africa ...
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From reliable Source....Intra-African Trade...10%
Tntra-EU...63%
Intra-Americas....40%
Let's do more on the 10% and our GDP and Un-employment will also be better!
Of course,we NEED sound POLICIES, but SINCE WHEN do African Govts have them ?????The LAST one was the 7-year Dev Plan BEFORE 1966!!It MAY NOT have been TOO CORRECT, but any PLAN IS BETTER than NO PLAN AT ALL !!
noordeen mohammed 12 years ago

I truly believe in a every single word. in your article.. solution to Africans is Africa Unity.. and nothing more or less.. Nkrumah may his soul rest in humble peace for the tremendous efforts he did for us, yet still som ...
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I truly believe in a every single word. in your article.. solution to Africans is Africa Unity.. and nothing more or less.. Nkrumah may his soul rest in humble peace for the tremendous efforts he did for us, yet still some tyrant arrogance, hypocrites taught they new better and they could do better. Oh it is indeed a curse for the entirely African for what they did to Nkrumah... noordeen mohammed Finland
MENSAH 12 years ago

AFRICA does not need communism,Nkrumah was bringing.I am 60 years old and knew what NKRUMAH was embacking on,and did not like it.Though I was very young in those days,I never liked his YOUNG PIONEER MOVEMENT and never joined ...
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AFRICA does not need communism,Nkrumah was bringing.I am 60 years old and knew what NKRUMAH was embacking on,and did not like it.Though I was very young in those days,I never liked his YOUNG PIONEER MOVEMENT and never joined it.His industrial ideas were very good but the execution was bad.There was nothing like free press where you can say whatever you like.Therefore,only his ideas were carried out without any challenge.THAT WAS BAD.AN AUTOCATIC RULLER INDEED WHO KILLED MANY FAITHFUL GHANAIAN STATESMEN.THAT IS HIS FALL.HE MADE HIMSELF GOD AND NEVER AKNOWLEDGED THE EXISTENCE OF THE TRUE GOD.THAT IS HIS FALL TOO.WE DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH HE LEFT FOR HIS CHILDREN IN EGYPT.NOBODY TALKS ABOUT THAT.AN EGYPTIAN I MET ONCE IN CANADA SAID,NKRUMAH LEFT LOTS OF MONEY IN EGYPT TO FATIA.BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH.
JOE, UK 12 years ago

Awaiting the pleasure of hearing from you.

Awaiting the pleasure of hearing from you.
BOY KOFI 12 years ago

Kwame Nkrumah will forever remain relevant in African politics because of his philosophy.Kwame Nkrumah believes that Blackman is capable to manage his own affairs and he trained many Ghanaian professionals in different fields ...
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Kwame Nkrumah will forever remain relevant in African politics because of his philosophy.Kwame Nkrumah believes that Blackman is capable to manage his own affairs and he trained many Ghanaian professionals in different fields to handle top positions.Today,we have lost professionalism and almost impossible to produce anything meaningful.Can the Blackman really manages his own affairs well?Thank you.
In Defense of The 1st Republic 12 years ago

Nkrumah was overthrown because of betrayal at the highest levels throughout Ghana and in some African countries.

It was not on the spur of the moment that Nkrumah's Foreign Minister, Quayson Sackey decided to abandon Nkru ...
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Nkrumah was overthrown because of betrayal at the highest levels throughout Ghana and in some African countries.

It was not on the spur of the moment that Nkrumah's Foreign Minister, Quayson Sackey decided to abandon Nkrumah and return to Ghana to join the military traitors and mercenaries of imperialism. As UN ambassador living in the US, earlier on in his career, Quaison-Sackey had long been compromised and was working for the big "C", providing valuable intelligence. Ditto, Kofi Baako, the Minister of Defense. It was not after the coup that Kofi Baako decided to denounce Nkrumah but he had been working hand in hand with the subversives. That was how Baako rewarded Nkrumah for having accepted him as promising young anti-colonial activist and put him in a ministerial post even though he had no degree or outstanding educational background. Gbedemah, the Finance Minister, run away to Togo and then the US before Nkrumah could punish him for his massive thievery and corruption. In exile he collaborated with the foreign agents plotting the 66 coup, especially in Togo where he was observed working with the embassy of the coup sponsors. Busia had already established residence Togo from where he planned his bomb-throwing campaign.

The coup itself was planned in the Ivory Coast. Houphouet Boigny, the first President of the Ivory Coast, revealed that he had received the coup plotters several times in his country where they worked with the CIA, MI5, and French Intelligence to finalize the coup. A mock-up of Flagstaff House was even constructed for a virtual rehearsal of the attack to be launched on coup day.

The governments of Togo and the Ivory Coast were not the only culprits working against Nkrumah. Tom Mboya, a Kenyan Minister was recruited by the CIA to report on confidential OAU deliberations. Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia were both jealous of Nkrumah's international acclaim and opposed his stance on immediate continental African Unity. They each went on to launch what they called African Socialism.

Today the cancer of betrayal continues to grow in Ghana. We have seen some who infiltrated the CPP and worked to "deliver" it to the NPP, and how they now work to undermine the CPP politically. We have seen some who as children saw their parents imprisoned by the NLC that overthrew Nkrumah but today work against the CPP and its Chairperson, Samia Nkrumah. Vile personal attacks,including the expression of jubilation over the brutal exiling of Samia and her family
all have been part of their anti-CPP / anti-Nkrumahism arsenal. President Mahama's father was a Regional Minister in Nkrumah's regime. On 24th February 1966 he like many other CPPists were hounded, arrested and imprisoned under the NLC's so-called Protective Custody decree. Yet, as both Vice President and now President, John Mahama continues to honour the memory of the traitor, Kotoka. He flies in and out of "Kotoka International Airport" without seeing any irony. Mahama as a young lad of about 8 years of age in 1966 can surely not have forgotten today the imprisonment and confiscation of assets that his father suffered as a member of Nkrumah's government under the NLC of Kotoka. For what, one might ask, does Mahama think of the honouring of Ghana's only international airport with Kotoka's name? The repression against CPPists and other Nkrumahists? The honour of Kotoka having subverted the constitutional order and the people's will, a crime also against his sworn military officer's oath and treason, at the highest level in any country, for working with foreign subversives to overthrow the government of one's country?

Such is the continued growth of the cancer of betrayal in today's Ghana 47 years after the 1966 coup.
Pelicles 12 years ago

If the first president did everything correct, why was he overthrown in 1966? It is beyond reason as to why a leader of a country, who is doing everything right, will face such stiff opposition.

I was young when he was de ...
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If the first president did everything correct, why was he overthrown in 1966? It is beyond reason as to why a leader of a country, who is doing everything right, will face such stiff opposition.

I was young when he was deposed but I guess something might have gone sour somewhere along the line.
Repugnant. 12 years ago

His only crime was his promotion of African Unity and independence both home and abroad. Internally, he was faced with what Mahama is presently enduring, a certain elite group felt they had been anointed to govern this countr ...
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His only crime was his promotion of African Unity and independence both home and abroad. Internally, he was faced with what Mahama is presently enduring, a certain elite group felt they had been anointed to govern this country, see if our current politics is any different from 1956 to 1966. "During the electioneering campaign of 1956, the NLM supporters in the
central Akyem Abuakwa constituency quoted the Omanhene Ofori Atta II
as saying that there would be no peace in the country if the CPP won
the election. In fact, fears were constantly put into the people (this
author, then a child, also heard it) that the CPP strongholds in Akyem
Abuakwa would be destroyed by the (cannons) in front of
the Omanhenes palace. In my village Ettokrom, twelve miles away from
Dr. Danquah's hometown, his few supporters vowed publicly that if
the NLM emerged victorious, all stranger settlers would be chased
out of Akyem leaving their cocoa farms behind; in addition, they vowed
that the Akyemfoo CPP supporters would also be made to plant their plantains
inside their houses. We the children from Ettokrom, who had to walk
from Ettokrom to attend primary school at Osiem at the time would run
to hide in the bush, anytime we heard the resounding horns of the NLM
Peugeot caravans. All the same, the people in the Akyem Abuakwa Central,
comprising cocoa farmers, agricultural laborers, some traditional rulers
and scholars, saw Dr. J.B. Danquah as an arrogant, ethnocentric elite.
Consequently, my Grandfather, the Chief Cocoa Farmer in the area, admonished
us little children in 1956 for going to the Odikro's palace to listen
to Danquah, whom he described as black-white man that boasts of...
Kwadwo 12 years ago

Ghana would have suffered the fate of Cuba if Nkrumah had not been overthrown. The cocoa farms were owned by the ordinary Ghanaian, not the government. Socialism and communism was not the answer to development. That is why Ch ...
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Ghana would have suffered the fate of Cuba if Nkrumah had not been overthrown. The cocoa farms were owned by the ordinary Ghanaian, not the government. Socialism and communism was not the answer to development. That is why China and the Russians have given it up. Nkrumah did well with the resources he came to meet, but his communist ideals bankrupted the country. He had to be overthrown.
Repugnant. 12 years ago

“Commenting on the recent coup in Ghana , Robert W. Komer, a special assistant to the president, says in a memo to President Johnson that the overthrow of the Nkrumah government was “another example of a fortuitous windfa ...
read full comment

“Commenting on the recent coup in Ghana , Robert W. Komer, a special assistant to the president, says in a memo to President Johnson that the overthrow of the Nkrumah government was “another example of a fortuitous windfall.” He gloats over the win noting that “Nkrumah was doing more to undermine our interests than any other black African” and that the “new military regime is almost pathetically pro-Western.” He then goes on to emphasize that the US should “follow through skillfully and consolidate such successes.” He explains: “A few thousand tons of surplus wheat or rice, given now when the new regimes are quite uncertain as to their future relations with us, could have a psychological significance out of all proportion to the cost of the gesture. I am not arguing for lavish gifts to these regimes—indeed, giving them a little only whets their appetites, and enables us to use the prospect of more as leverage”. But we rejoiced and went on to do their bidding

. Behind the scene of the gun holding military was the so called democrats and law abiding party called the United Party , the forbears of the NPP. They branded every thing by Osagyefo as wrong . The 7 year development plan was a “ communist Plan”, the Volta dam and the energy from it a waste and went about closing and leaving the factories for which loans had been contracted to go to waste. The State , they preached should not be producing goods and services. Individuals would do a better job . But No individuals stepped up as most did not have the entrepreneurial ability, capital and skills to run these enterprises . Then they sent away the labor on the farms, under the ‘aliens compliance order” and Ghana moved from No 1 cocoa producer to No 5.These people were given 2 weeks that is 10 working days to establish their residency or nationality . Of course all had to come to Accra to do that . An impossible task . Foreign exchange was scarce so they Devalued the cedi telling us it would boost exports. We asked ,what exports , as we had closed the manufacturing units and were importing everything . “ Import substitution’, became “export substitution” . Production gave way to consumption. “ Do not worry we know best. We are Professors from Oxford as compared to the verandah boys” .By 1969 , the so called elite and intelligentsia were fully in control, Professor Busia as Prime Minister and Akuffo Addo as President. In spite of the foundation laid , Ghana was in reverse gear. Cocoa farms gone to weed, queues for “ essential commodities” . No direction on anything except the privileged few at the top. Parliament was full of semi literate and illiterates whose job was to come in big clothes and shout “ yeah, yeah” . Every where was neglect and decay . Busia himself was heard to say, “ they told us democracy will bring prosperity, but where is the money”. Mr Joe Appiah a staunch UP could not stand the discrimination and left to team up with Attoh Quarshie. But it was the incompetence and the total lack of direction by these leaders that astounded me. Researchers can find out from the Ghanaian papers in the archives the sheer absence of any productive effort from about July 1971 to Jan 13 1972 when the PP was put out of its misery by the then Col Kutu Acheampong . What a missed opportunity as all that was needed were 1. Cash to power the industries set up and 2 Better management . We failed .We failed Miserably This put Ghana in the wilderness

Today 47 years later , the wounds have not healed and where they have the scars still remain . By 1983 nearly a million Ghanaians had to come home from Nigeria as refugees . Ghana “must go” and some jumped into the sea and drowned out of frustration . The dream of Greener pasture gone sour. From those working as 2 “ nailla”, to Professors and project managers , town and City planners to teachers , to shoe shine and dog chain vendors . Some have since panned out to other parts of the world. China , japan, South Pole, North pole and mundane places as USA, UK, Germany , Italy , Zambia, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Papua New Guinea , Australia, Canada.
JEFF 12 years ago

THOSE OF US WHO GREW UP UNDER NKRUMAH MISSES HIS VISIONARY LEADERSHIP NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT SOME OF US HATED HIM FOR POLITICALAL/TRIBAL REASONS.THE FACT THAT GHANA WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY TO HAVE GOT NKRUMAH AS OUR FIRST ...
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THOSE OF US WHO GREW UP UNDER NKRUMAH MISSES HIS VISIONARY LEADERSHIP NOTWITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT SOME OF US HATED HIM FOR POLITICALAL/TRIBAL REASONS.THE FACT THAT GHANA WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY TO HAVE GOT NKRUMAH AS OUR FIRST PRESIDENT CANNOT BE OVEREMPHASISED BECAUSE HE LAID A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR US.

I CHALLENGE THOSE WHO OPPOSED NKRUMAH TO GO TO SOUTH AFRICA AND SEE FOR THEMSELVES THE PLIGHT OF SOUTH AFRICAN BLACKS.
Sir EfiaGA TogbeGA Dadi Wula Mesetowo 12 years ago

Tamakloe,goway there with your nonsensical Nkrumaism!!Kwame Nkrumah poked his nose into the affaires of the U.S and he was shown where power was and you come here telling us foolishness!!Goway you!!Down with Nkrumaism!!!USA!! ...
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Tamakloe,goway there with your nonsensical Nkrumaism!!Kwame Nkrumah poked his nose into the affaires of the U.S and he was shown where power was and you come here telling us foolishness!!Goway you!!Down with Nkrumaism!!!USA!!!USA!!!USA!!!
Joe 12 years ago

What nonsense! Go take your medications idiot!

What nonsense! Go take your medications idiot!
AWUDU 12 years ago

Somebody tell me why we still have Kotoka's name on our airport?

Somebody tell me why we still have Kotoka's name on our airport?
Young Pioneer 64-66 12 years ago

Because NDC is a coup party and Rawlings, the founder of NDC is anti-Nkrumah and has stated in the past that he supports the 1966 coup that overthrew Nkrumah. Rawlings also supports Kotoka on both tribal and political ground ...
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Because NDC is a coup party and Rawlings, the founder of NDC is anti-Nkrumah and has stated in the past that he supports the 1966 coup that overthrew Nkrumah. Rawlings also supports Kotoka on both tribal and political grounds. Delegitimizing Kotoka is delegitimizing Rawlings, the career coup-maker. Rawlings, the anti-Nkrumahist, is the one single person who dismantled Nkrumah's industrial infrastructure - the cause of much of the unemployment in Ghana. Of course, he made sure that his wife had grabbed two of Nkrumah's factories, using the front of the 31st December Women's Movement.

The government that takes the name of the murderer and traitor, Kotoka, from the airport will be the government that is genuinely pro-Nkrumah.
AbabIo from Canada 12 years ago

Joe u live in America and so what !

Joe u live in America and so what !
mensah abrampa 12 years ago

Nkrumah was a dictator but he was a charismatic and affable politician to millions of his admirers not only in Ghana but also in most of the black world.
No nation deserves a dictator, no matter how well intentioned the dict ...
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Nkrumah was a dictator but he was a charismatic and affable politician to millions of his admirers not only in Ghana but also in most of the black world.
No nation deserves a dictator, no matter how well intentioned the dictator is,God created all men equal and made each person an agent unto himself, ie, gave each one the freedom to act for himself and not to be acted upon by external influences.This the reason why Gold Coasters resisted British colonial rule. We removed one form of oppression and replaced it with home-bred tyranny.His overthrow in 1966 was a disaster waiting to happen. Nkrumah created a one party socialist state against the will of most ghanaians and made himself life president through an act of parliament after he had corralled all opposition parliamentarians into the Nsawam Medium Security Prison or forced them to flee into exile.
Nkrumah was not on his way to Burma as Mr Kojo Tamakloe is instructing his readers. He was on his way to Hanoi, Vietnam, to mediate in the Vietnam crisis when the coup was announced.
Kwame Boamah 12 years ago

Kojo, you must be grateful to Kotoka in overthrowing the Nkrumah despotic rule. You are able to share your views no matter how skewed they are due to Kotoka. God will always bless Kotoka. I am ana AShanti but I will eternally ...
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Kojo, you must be grateful to Kotoka in overthrowing the Nkrumah despotic rule. You are able to share your views no matter how skewed they are due to Kotoka. God will always bless Kotoka. I am ana AShanti but I will eternally be thankful to Ewes because of mighty Kotoka.
LGK Ocloo 12 years ago

At least Dr. Nkrumah stood up for Ghana and the continent of Africa against the arrogant and bullying powers who keep thinking that the continent is their backyard where they plunder our resources and do anything and get away ...
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At least Dr. Nkrumah stood up for Ghana and the continent of Africa against the arrogant and bullying powers who keep thinking that the continent is their backyard where they plunder our resources and do anything and get away with it. Unlike the cowards who have ruled Ghana ever since with their sole interest of stuffing their pockets and their bank accounts with state resources while giving our country up for exploitation and foreign control.
Musah mohammed abbass 12 years ago

Yes indeed.nkrumaism is the way forward.years after his overthrow, we have now realised that,he(nkrumah) was right afterall.over 50years of independence and we are still in the dark,wallowing in poverty.oh!what a shame!bigups ...
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Yes indeed.nkrumaism is the way forward.years after his overthrow, we have now realised that,he(nkrumah) was right afterall.over 50years of independence and we are still in the dark,wallowing in poverty.oh!what a shame!bigups to tamakloe for that wonderfull piece.
Francis Blay Aidoo 11 years ago

Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was a "Prophet" of his time. Indeed, we are in "DARK DAYS", the question I am asking here is Can't we correct the system by being sincere to ourselves?

Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was a "Prophet" of his time. Indeed, we are in "DARK DAYS", the question I am asking here is Can't we correct the system by being sincere to ourselves?
mustee 9 years ago

I thought you were going to be objective . As a youth I can see some distortions in your article.pls take the CPP lens off and asses Dr. Nkrumah as a leader objectively

I thought you were going to be objective . As a youth I can see some distortions in your article.pls take the CPP lens off and asses Dr. Nkrumah as a leader objectively

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“Dark days in Ghana” The disaster of Feb 24 1966

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