President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has called on Ghanaians to work collaboratively in upholding the vision of the founding fathers who fought for Ghana’s independence.
In an address to commemorate the 2023 Founders’ Day, President Akufo-Addo emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law, respecting individual liberties and human rights, and embracing democratic accountability – the principles for which Ghana’s forebears fought.
Founders’ Day is marked every August 4 to remember the contributions of great leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah, Ebenezer Ako-Adjei, Edward Akufo-Addo, Joseph Boakye Danquah, Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey and William Ofori Atta known as the Big Six who liberated Ghana from colonialism and imperialism.
He said the challenge before contemporary Ghanaians is to build a modern economy that fosters prosperity and progress, creating a dignified life for all citizens.
President Akufo-Addo acknowledged the day’s significance, noting that after 66 years of independence, Ghana has become a beacon of democracy and stability in Africa.
“Today, sixty-six (66) years after independence, our nation is considered a beacon of democracy and stability in Africa. August 4, in the life and history of our nation, is one of utmost importance. It is, indeed, a sacred day,” the President said.
He also paid tribute to the sacrifices made by the forebearers, dating back 126 years when the Aborigines Rights Protection Society was formed in Cape Coast to resist the Crown Lands Bill of 1897.
This courageous act prevented the sequestration and expropriation of Ghanaian lands for the benefit of the British Crown, safeguarding the people’s ownership of their lands throughout the colonial period.
“The ownership of our lands was never an issue again during the rest of the colonial period. We should not, then, forget that we continued to possess our lands freely, unlike the situation in Eastern and Southern Africa, because of the bravery and foresight of the members of the Aborigines Rights Protection Society, and we must continually pay homage to these patriots,” the President said.
The President also highlighted the formation of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) precisely fifty years later, the first political party in the country to demand independence.
“The UGCC’s demand for freedom paved the way for subsequent events and the eventual independence of Ghana in 1957. The leaders of the UGCC, known as the ‘Big Six’, including Kwame Nkrumah, played pivotal roles in Ghana’s journey to independence”.
He concluded by saying as Ghana continues to evolve and progress, citizens must remember the bravery and foresight of their forebearers, who fought for the nation’s freedom.