Historian Kwaku Darko Ankrah has predicted that future governments will likely alter the Founders’ Day date established by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The current date, August 4, was set by Parliament in 2019 to commemorate the collective efforts of Ghana’s independence struggle, while also designating September 21 as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day.
However, this decision was met with protests from those who believed Nkrumah was the sole founder of the country.
In his 2024 Founders’ Day address, President Akufo-Addo dismissed this notion, emphasizing that Ghana’s founding was a collective effort.
In an interview with Bernard Avle on The Point of View, on Channel One TV, Ankrah criticised the President’s decision, calling it “totally wrong.”
Ankrah argued that August 4 actually marks the formation of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) and that several individuals made significant contributions to Ghana’s independence before the emergence of the Big Six, which the President’s choice of date overlooks.
“The President was totally wrong when he selected August 4, you state August 4, it means that you are truncating the work others have done. The significance of August 4, is the formation of UGCC, it’s a political party. Never, how can you use a political party’s formation as the foundation of Gold Coast?
“Then we should go back to about March 8, 1897, as the formation of Gold Coast, because that is where the Aborigines’ Rights Protection Society (ARPS) was founded to save the lands of this country. For me, I don’t understand the August 4.”
He suggested selecting a date that would bring the citizenry together and foster a sense of national cohesion.
“Unifying the country is very important, it’s not about the personal interest as a people belonging to the Danquah-Busia tradition or anybody, no, it’s about unifying the country. So, the date itself must be able to unify the people. So, if you use the date that your party or the grandparent of your party started as a celebration day, other political parties will have cause to blame you, and when they also get political power, they will try to [change it].”
The Convention People’s Party (CPP) in a statement condemned President Akufo-Addo’s claims. These remarks have sparked a debate on social media, with the CPP expressing strong opposition.
