Rawlings & Kufuor�s Govt Cannot Be Compared To Nkrumah�s�He was Impeccable- Pratt

The Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper and member of the Socialist Forum of Ghana, Kwesi Pratt, has once again re-ignited the debate about Ghana�s first Prime Minister, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah�s unimpeachable leadership, by categorically stating that not even the 19 years of Rawlings� administration and 8years of Kufuor�s rule, when added up, is comparable to Nkrumah's government. Speaking during a panel discussion on Peace FM�s �Kokrokoo�, Mr. Pratt virtually discredited all successive regimes after Nkrumah�s overthrow. According to him, since the 1966 coup d��tat that toppled Dr. Nkrumah�s administration, no government has performed creditably up till now, neither can the two regimes boast of the scale of infrastructural development witnessed under Nkrumah. �The 8-year democratic rule of former Presidents John Kufuor and Rawlings, is incomparable to Kwame Nkrumah�s 9-year rule�the infrastructural development under Nkrumah�s rule is unprecedented�till date none of the previous governments have been able to equal that record,� he said. Mr. Pratt�s sweeping statement was in reaction to earlier comments passed by NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Asokwa in the Ashanti Region, Hon. Maxwell Kofi Jumah. Hon. Jumah had argued that �though Kwame Nkrumah was a great leader, it was wise and very prudent that his government was overthrown.� Rationalizing Nkrumah�s overthrow, the Asokwa MP explained that there was enough good reason for what happened to Ghana�s first President, because prior to the 1966 coup d��tat, prices of goods had skyrocketed, and the violation and abuse of human rights were the order of the day. But Mr. Pratt was quick to counter that the basis for Nkrumah�s overthrow were unjustifiable because successive governments have not been able to perk up the living conditions of the populace whiles the economic situation has not seen much improvement. ��53 years after independence, there are inadequate public places of convenience and it�s an eyesore to see people queuing just to ease themselves,� he argued. The outspoken Nkrumaist indicated his willingness to �debate anytime� what led to the 1966 coup by �saboteurs which changed the country�s bright future�. �There are clear evidence indicating how and who caused the coup. The motivations for overthrowing him (Dr. Kwame Nkrumah)�I�m ready for that debate anytime because the facts are very clear�.At the end of that debate we�ll see who will run for cover,� he added.