GRAND FORUM ON NKRUMAH IN ACCRA TODAY

Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah

By Ekow Mensah

At 4: 00pm today, hundreds of Ghanaians are expected to troop to the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) to participate in a public forum to mark the 106th birthday of Osagyefo Dr kwame Nkrumah,  Founder of Ghana.

The forum is jointly organized by Socialist Forum of Ghana (SFG),the All African students Union (AASU) the National Union of Ghana Students(NUGS),and the Africa Youth Improvement Foundation.

Organisers say that they have invited people from all walks of life including the political parties, trade Unions and youth and students movements.

The theme for the forum is “Youth and Students in National Development; An Nkrumaist Perspective” and it will be chaired by Comrade Kwesi Pratt, Jnr of the SFG.

The speakers are Dr Gamal Nasser Adam, of the University of Ghana, Mr Prosper Dzitse, President of NUGS and Comrade Albie Walls of the All African People’s Revolutionary Party (APRP)

 It is generally acknowledged that Ghana’s first President, Nkrumah was the prime inspiration of the decolonization of Africa South of the Sahara.

Nkrumah was a strident advocate of Pan Africanism and socialism and provided substantial financial and diplomatic support to African liberation movements.

 He was also a keen supporter of the anti-racist movements in North America and Europe.

In a speech to the National Assembly in 1964, Nkrumah stated that “Our aim is to build in Ghana a socialist state which accepts full responsibility for promoting the wellbeing of the masses. Our national wealth must be built up and used in such a way that economic power shall not be allowed to exploit workers in town or village, but used for the supreme welfare and happiness of our people….”

AngloGold kills Obuasi

President John Mahama

The decision by Anglo Gold Ashanti to relocate to a new site is having a devastating effect on Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.

 As a consequence of that the Obuasi Municipal Assembly has initiated a raft of actions to enlarge business activities to address the shortfall in its revenue.

The Assembly is seeking to get a university campus, wood village for exhibition of local products, lorry terminals with modern facilities, satellite markets and recreational centres, in a move to attract more investors.

“AngloGold Ashanti  is moving to a new site and many of their workers have moved to settle outside the town, this affected the Assembly’s IGF [Internally  Generated Funds] so we have to quickly do something to diversify the economy of Obuasi,” Municiapl Budget Officer, Mr Isaac Appiah Nsiah told the Ghana News Agency.

He said the Assembly depended heavily on the mineral royalties and the activities of the mining giant for its internal funds, but the company’s exit has led to the dwindling of their [Assembly] fund.

The Assembly’s total IGF reduced from GH¢2,055,066.39 in 2012 to GH¢2,043,707.59 representing 0.55 per cent.

This, officials attributed to the non-release of mineral royalties which constitutes more than five per cent of the Assembly’s annual revenue budget.

In 2014, they said, out of the estimated IGF revenue of GH¢ 3,317,002.80, actual revenue as at June 30, 2014 was GH¢1,068,874.83 representing a performance of 32.22 per cent.

“This is due to the general slowdown of economic activities in Obuasi resulting from the retrenchment and footprint reduction exercise by AGA, the major employer in the municipality,” the Assembly said.

The Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Richard Ofori-Agyemang Boadi said Obuasi has since been depending on mining and that giving the “massive development going on” in the town and AngloGold shuffling off required diversification of activities of the area.

He said an ultra modern lorry park has been completed waiting commissioning while another one is under consideration to lift up the town to a modern status.

He said a high court has also been built with accommodation provided for the judge and upgrading of roads in that area would be completed by the end of the year.

“We working on two lorry terminals, one has been completed already and one is yet to take place. For the completed one I am waiting for the President, President John Mahama to commission it, because this is a big project.

“Obuasi has never had a high court and within this short period we have one, there is massive development going on here, a 3000 capacity dining hall and administration are ongoing at CKC...,” Mr Boadi said.

He also said the collaboration between the Assembly and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology would help open up the area and attract businesses to enable the Assemble raise money to support development projects and raise the living standards.

GNA 

EDITORIAL

KICKING AGAINST A ROCK

The futile attempt to denigrate all that Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah stood for which gained momentum after the CIA sponsored coup of 1966 is continuing in earnest.

It includes the attempt to deny Nkrumah’s special role in history as the Founder of the modern Republic of Ghana.

It is indeed shocking that even in 2015 when the whole world has come to appreciate Nkrumah’s role as the key inspiration of black liberation in the 20th Century, some elements are desperately trying to erase the monumental achievements of the Osagyefo.

The Insight calls upon the Mahama administration to keep the promise made by Professor J.E.A Mills, the Immediate Past President of Ghana to make the Founders Day a statutory public holiday.

It has been five years since Professor Mills made that pledge and as at now no serious effort has gone into legislation to back the observance of Founders Day.

 September 21, 2015 will mark the 106th birthday of the Osagyefo and we believe that is an appropriate time to show some seriousness on this matter.

Those who are engaged in the futile effort to destroy the legacy of the Osagyefo will soon realize that they are kicking against a rock.

Only their own feet can get hurt.