President Nana Akufo Addo has said he has always sparked controversy in his political life because he’s never been a dull politician.
According to him, over 30 years of actively engaging in politics, anytime he speaks his pronouncements have continuously caused debate among a large section of Ghanaians.
The President made the comments while addressing an audience at the Ghana Unity Ball 2017 on Thursday March 9, in reaction to claims by his critics that he skewed Ghana’s history about the struggle for independence.
In his speech during Ghana’s 60th independence anniversary on 6 March, Nana Akufo-Addo said the UGCC, forebears of his current party, NPP, “met to demand independence from the British and 70 years after that event, one still marvels at the clarity of thought and the passion that they displayed.”
“Some of the names of that momentous day have survived in our written history and folk memory. Five of them are on our Ghanaian currency: Joseph Boakye Danquah; Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey; William Ofori-Atta; Ebenezer Ako-Adjei; and Edward Akufo-Addo. Kwame Nkrumah, the sixth of the Big Six on the currency, was to join them later,” the President, who is the son of Edward Akufo-Addo and nephew to J.B Danquah, narrated.
He said, the struggle for independence started in 1844 and was only capped by the efforts of several others in 1957.
But the Convention People’s Party (CPP), founded by Ghana’s first President Kwame Nkrumah, however, has taken offence at President Akufo-Addo’s account of events and accused him of misrepresenting Ghana’s history to placate his father, uncle and the UP political tradition.
In a response to his critics, President Akufo-Addo said: “This has been a very strange week. On Monday, I made a speech to the country which I tried to speak about how we became Ghana. And like everything I say, it’s ended up in controversy. But that is how it should be. A politician who doesn’t generate controversy is a dull politician.
“The amusing part of it is that the people who did not live through the independence era, young people who came much after, claim that I distorted the history of Ghana and belittled the role of Kwame Nkrumah. The one man there who actually lived through the era, [who] was here in Ghana at the time, embraced me as having enhanced the image of Kwame Nkrumah. And that tells you everything about Ghanaian politics. That is President Mugabe. He gave me a big hug.”
Source: kasapafmonline.com
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Ghanaian politicians please do something about these senseless deaths on the roads. 2017 is here and all you guys can debate on is who was involved in the fight for independence. Common traffic laws you cannot implement and bring sone protection for your people.
The story,as it was told by the president, is nothing new. Those things he talked about are already in our history books so I don't know why some people are lamenting. We all know Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was invited by the leaders of UGCC party and one situation led to the other and Kwame Nkrumah finally broke away from UGCC to form CPP. He broke away with the youth wing of UGCC. These are things which are already known so why are we playing mischieve with this issue.
Nana Addo just focus as you have been for OBSERVERS ARE WORRIED. Be blessed Mr. Prez
The story about Ghana's independence as told by the President is the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Many educated Ghanaians are quick to blame the white man that before the advent of colonialism Africa had a rich history. Unfortunately however, when It comes to Nkrumah and Ghana, the same scholar will like us to believe that until Nkrumah came to Ghana around 1947, Ghana had no history. The President in a short and articulate speech sent the whole nation through our history of independence dating back to the bond of 6th March 1844, through the Aborigines' Right Protection to the formation of the first political party at Saltpond. This party was the business entity that employed Nkrumah and paid his ship fer for his first job as a secretary of the party. These are facts and not propaganda as the NDC and the former Young Pioneer boys will want us to believe. Mr President thank you for your insight and coherence. No wonder, it is your family history and you are the good story teller who always bears messages of hope and inspiration. Ghana is blessed to have you as the No. one citizen and not a spectator president.
Mr. President,you are too intelligent. As for NDC, they are only exhibiting incompetence in opposition.
Ghana is in deep trouble. Sincerely speaking Ghanaians elected this man as their president? What a joke? Akuffo Addo, you never dreamt of becoming a president and these whole thing is taking the better part of you and sooner than later, approximately the 54% of Ghanaians who voted for you will be so disappointed for doing so.
This man has nothing, absolutely nothing to offer this country. He has achieved what he wants, his name should be written in history book of Ghana as a president. All his comments to me since he won the election has been wishful thinking with no real purpose of achieving anything.