It is indeed a great honor to have a nation like Ghana which puts more emphasis and value on their history and also keep historic values in the hearts of its citizens.
In this particular administration, many history and significant changes have been made within our nation’s history and am wondering what will happen if the government of another comes into power. The probability of seeing us go back into what we originally know as our history will further deepened the distortions of our history.
On March 2019, public holiday amendments bill was passed into law by the Legislature and 4th August was instituted as Founders’ Day (public holiday ). This cancelled what we knew as Fonder’s Day (Dr Kwame Nkrumah) which was 21 September. The justification which was given was that we have to honor all instead of one person. The issue of the apostrophe “S” was used to differentiate and killed history and brought a new order.
The history of August 4th 1947 became the new history to give prominence by the Akuffo Adoo’s administration and add names like Paa Grant and JB Danquah as founding fathers UGCC at saltpong and also acknowledge the formation of Aborigines Rights Protection society in 1897.
1st July which is another historical event was changed from being a public holiday. We have known this day which Ghanaians observed in time memorial as REPUBLIC DAY. This day was when Ghana was declared independence from the British rule in 1960 by Dr Kwame Nkrumah. The nation now observes the day. Kwame Nkrumah’s creation of 10 regions was re written and changed to 16 regions. The effect we all know now .
Nana Akuffo Addo’s administration has found its way through tourism to secure 25million dollars from World Bank under the Ghana Tourism Development Project (GTDP) to upgrade some of the country’s iconic sites including the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum.
It took government just a year to finish the renovation of Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum (August 2022 to July 2023) at a cost of 30million ghana cedis (3million dollars). It is a good idea to renovate such huge historic edifice to attract the attention of the world and increase tourism in our country. Bravo to the Nana Akuffo Addo’s administration.
What would have happened if Nana Addo’s government finished the renovation without adding other founding fathers. This again derails , tilts and reduces the importance of kwame Nkrumah. When the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum was shut down for renovation, the minister for Tourism Arts and Culture, Mohammad Awal said the Mausoleum will also give a befitting status and recognition to other founding fathers include ; Edward Akuffo -Addo , Ako Adjei , Obtsetsbi – Lamptey , William Ofori Atta and Dr JB Danquah when completed.
If apt recognition is given to other founding fathers within the mausoleum , what makes of the history we know of Dr kwame Nkrumah, polo grounds, the effect of his declaration and many more.
The question I ask is will they come back to change change the name from Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum?
Let’s not just be happy to see the face value of projects but think of the future and how history is been re- written through projects and now using the Tourism Arts and Culture .
We have used politics to change and tilt Ghana’s history and now are we on the verge of using Tourism to also change our history?
If we can commit 3million dollars to renovate under one year Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, why can’t the government build theaters, film villages , film studios, review of our cultural policies which they promised since 2016? Need not say more.
Kojo Preko Dankwa
FOCAP President.
kojopreko@gmail.com
0575655656
O550077040.
