We cannot downplay Kwame Nkrumah’s contributions to Ghana - Koku Anyidoho

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Atta Mills Institute, Samuel Koku Anyidoho, says the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day is worth celebrating as a national holiday due to his immense contribution to the development of the country.

According to him, from the days of the country's self-government struggles and subsequent attaining independence, the achievements of Ghana's first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah cannot be glossed over or downplayed for any political reason.

Speaking on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, Koku Anyidoho, a former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), commended President Akufo-Addo for cementing Dr Nkrumah's exploits by settig aside a day to honour his memory.

“Kwame Nkrumah came and open up Ghana and we have celebrated him not only in Ghana but all over Africa. He is still being remembered . . . "

“I think that we should thank President Akufo-Addo for making 21st September a public holiday because initially it was a political debate between the NPP and NDC but if over the period, we have all agreed that Kwame Nkrumah stands tall, nobody can change what he did," he commended.

He also lauded his boss, former President John Evans Atta Mills, for naming the first floating, production, storage and offloading (FPSO) oil vessel after Ghana’s first president; FPSO Kwame Nkrumah or Kwame Nkrumah MV21.

"I am happy that President Mills named the first oil vessel Ghana purchased and remodeled after Kwame Nkrumah and that is one of the legacy President Mills left behind. So, I think that we cannot forget Kwame Nkrumah and we cannot downplay what he did for this republic,” he noted.

"Kwame Nkrumah created a very powerful tool with the establishment of NCCE for national development. He had a personal interest in the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE). Kwame Nkrumah did a lot for the country in terms of infrastructure and institutions which had a sole aim of developing the country and his contributions extended to other African countries and so he is still hailed outside this country,” he added.