President Mahama and National Leaders Celebrate Kwame Nkrumah’s 117th Birthday with Calls for Economic Sovereignty and National Unity

President John Mahama has led Ghana in commemorating Founder’s Day and the 117th birth anniversary of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, urging the nation to embrace the ideals of liberty and self-reliance. In a series of addresses marking the September 21 observance, President Mahama emphasized that Nkrumah’s vision remains a vital cornerstone for Ghana’s national identity and its 'Resetting Ghana Agenda.' He called for a renewed dedication to nation-building, linking historical struggles for independence to contemporary goals of social justice and regional economic sovereignty. This national celebration was echoed across the country, with various political and social groups reflecting on the enduring relevance of the first president’s Pan-African ideals in navigating modern challenges.

In the Western Region, significant monuments were unveiled to honor Nkrumah’s birthplace and heritage. The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, joined by Kenyan Pan-Africanist Professor Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba, inaugurated the Osagyefo Roundabout at Sanzule. During the ceremony, speakers criticized past attempts to diminish Nkrumah’s history and announced plans to renovate his residence in Half-Assini. Notably, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the NPP’s 2024 vice-presidential candidate, joined the 'Nkrumah Fest' in Nkroful to eulogize the late leader as a 'boundless gift' to Africa. Despite historical partisan tensions, Dr. Opoku Prempeh’s presence and praise for Nkrumah signaled a call for national unity, a sentiment supported by Nkrumah’s daughter, Samia Yaba Nkrumah, who expressed gratitude for the continued recognition of her father’s sacrifices.

The anniversary also prompted deep intellectual and structural reflections on the state of the Ghanaian republic. Delivering the 15th Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Lectures at the University of Cape Coast, veteran journalist Kwesi Pratt Jnr. cautioned that a simple constitutional review would not solve the nation’s deepest problems. He argued that the failures often attributed to the 1992 Constitution stem more from the conduct of political leaders and state institutions than from the legal text itself. Pratt underscored that effective reform must be tied to broader economic transformations and Pan-African cooperation, warning that without a shift in political culture, even a revised constitution would fail to protect the marginalized from exploitation by powerful elites.

From a policy perspective, several political parties used the occasion to demand a return to Nkrumah’s economic principles of state-led development and self-sufficiency. The Convention People’s Party (CPP) urged the government to protect and revitalize State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), specifically opposing the privatization of the Electricity Company of Ghana. Simultaneously, the Progressive Alliance for Ghana (PAG), led by Dr. John Enyonam Kpikpi, advocated for a fundamental overhaul of the economy focusing on youth enterprise, cooperative ownership, and energy security. These groups collectively argued that honoring Nkrumah’s legacy requires more than ceremonial remembrance; it demands a practical commitment to industrial growth and the protection of national assets to ensure long-term economic independence.