Nana Addo sparked needless and useless debate with Ghana@60 speech – Kwesi Pratt

The Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has described the debate sparked by President Nana Akufo-Addo during his speech at the Black Star Square on the 6th of March when he recounted the country’s struggle for independence as needless and useless.

Some members of the Peoples National Convention [PNC] and the Convention Peoples Party [CPP] are of the view that the President, on Independence Day wanted to re-write the history of Ghana’s independence struggle as he tried to sideline the role of Nkrumah which is known to both Ghanaian’s and the international community.

Taking his turn on Radio Gold’s ‘Alhaji & Alhaji’ on Saturday, Mr. Pratt said the history of Ghana’s independence cannot be distorted as the role of Kwame Nkrumah cannot be sidelined.

“I believe that this debate is absolutely needless and useless because the issue of Nkrumah’s role in the history of Ghana and Africa to a very large extent. The history of the National Liberation Movement in the world have been settled for all time, so breaking up the past cannot change that history, indeed all over the world Nkrumah has become an iconic figure representing the aspirations of black people everywhere and anywhere.

“That is why if you go to the African Union’s headquarters the only edifice that stand in that tall building is Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. That is why in most African countries monuments have been erected in honour of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, indeed as soon as you leave the boundaries of Ghana, J.B. Danquah fades into insignificance, none of the leaders of the ‘m’ate me ho’ group is remembered outside the boundaries of Ghana. As far as I’m concerned this debate is about an issue which has been settled and about which its position will never change”, he said.
Kwesi Pratt Jnr further stated that a lot of issues in Ghana and Africa needs urgent attention than rather trying to re-write Ghana’s Independence struggle history.

“We are leaving in times where the independence rule to a large extent has been punctured by forces of direction, imperialism and it agents, we are leaving in times where we have no control over our natural resources, we are leaving in a period where our natural resources are not been exploited for the benefit of the Ghanaians and the African people.

“If there is any debate which is very useful which we should participate in with vigour it ought to have been a debate about what to do in order for the Ghanaian and African people to control their resources and to exploit those resources for their benefit, if there is any debate which is relevant it ought to be a debate about the impact of some of the tax measures that has been announced in the 2017 budget”, he added.

According to him an attempt to minimize the role of Kwame Nkrumah in Ghana’s struggle for independence will be seen as an insult to the people of Ghana and Africa.

“Any attempt to minimize Nkrumah’s role in the history of Ghana and Africa will considered as an insult to African people.”