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Nana Addo changing Founder's Day needless - PPP

According to the PPP, Dr Kwame Nkrumah founded Ghana and the proposal to celebrate August 4 will only put Ghana in the bad limelight

The party, however, described the move as needless by the President.

According to the PPP, Dr Kwame Nkrumah founded Ghana and the proposal to celebrate August 4 will only put Ghana in the bad limelight.

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In a statement to mark Founder’s Day today, September 21, the PPP said: "We regret to announce that our hearts sank when we heard about the communiqué from the presidency proposing to Parliament to designate August 4th as Founders Day. We believe it was pointless for the President to have proposed an additional holiday to the existing plentiful holidays which put Ghana in a bad limelight as the 2nd country in the world after Ireland to have many holidays."

A statement issued by the Presidency states that "4th August, is, thus, obviously the most appropriate day to signify our recognition and appreciation of the collective efforts of our forebears towards the founding of a free, independent Ghana.

"It is equally clear that the first leader of independent Ghana, and the nation’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, played an outstanding role in helping to bring to fruition the works of the earlier generations, and leading us to the promised land of national freedom and independence. It is entirely appropriate that we commemorate him for that role, by designating his birthday as the permanent day of his remembrance".

But the PPP noted that "It is true that many great men and women played different roles in Ghana’s independence, but the fact still remains that modern Ghana has one founder, which is Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah. Some wanted a federal, tribal-based nation; Nkrumah wanted a unitary nation with expanded boundaries. Some wanted independence delayed; Nkrumah wanted independence now.

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"Why must we waste the taxpayer’s money in creating another holiday to celebrate Founders Day? Founder of a nation is nothing new, as examples abound of leaders who have been given honorific titles in recognition of their driving force behind the establishment of their country. Such leaders include Sir Henry Parkes of Australia, Sir John A. Macdonald of Canada, Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme of Chile, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes del Castillo of Cuba, Jean-Jacques Dessalines of Haiti, Alexander the Great of Greece and many others. This does not suggest in any way that others did not play any role in the struggle for independence in all these countries.

"It is regrettable that our country has degenerated to the level where every national issue is discussed with NDC and NPP proclivity, and as a result, we fail to seek excellence and rather pursue parochial interests. Does this not also suggest that when there is change in power, there will also be a change in this new proposal from the President?

"We consider the attempt to liken the remarkable leadership exhibited by Dr Nkrumah during the independence struggle with any other person as a smoke screen to smear the great Osagyefo.

"In any case, why is the President bent on changing the Founders Day after nine months in office when he promised to rid Accra of filth in 100 days? The high living condition has made life unbearable for many Ghanaians due to the continuous increases in petroleum prices in the country. The cedi is fast depreciating against the dollar and the economic transformation promised to Ghanaians cannot be envisaged.

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"We call on government to suspend the history expeditions and concentrate on the core business of government. We expect the government to spend its energies on solving the problems associated with the Free SHS policy and deliver the change the NPP promised the people of Ghana."

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