The former Deputy Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Joseph Yamin has stated that Osagyefuo Dr Kwame Nkrumah got independence for Ghana and not the father of the President nor the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition.
He wondered why the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo would glorify people who did not attained independence for Ghana.
According to him the President downplayed the role of Dr Kwame Nkrumah during the Ghana@60 independence celebration.
The Convention People’s Party (CPP) issued a statement saying the President misrepresented the history of the country to score cheap political points.
Speaking with Lantam Papanko on Ultimate Breakfast Show, Mr Yamin said members of New Patriotic Party (NPP) should desist from tickling themselves that the Big six which the President’s father and uncle were part got independence for Ghana.
According to him, a disagreement ensued between Dr Nkrumah and other members of the Big as to whether Gold Coast now Ghana wanted independence or not.
He explained that if Dr Nkrumah had agreed to their decision of attainting independence in the then future, Ghana wouldn’t be celebrating independence on March 6, every year.
The former Deputy Coordinator of NADMO said Ghana might not be celebrating 60 years of independence but rather 20 years or less just like South Africa and other countries.
‘One thing is clear, even though we have founders of our independence, one person got independence for us, it is as simply as that….One out of the big six wanted independence now, and the five wanted it in the shortest possible time. and so it got to a time, there were some disagreements between them, which includes the five UP members as against Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
So if you want independence in the shortest future and somebody wants it today, then that person who attained it or his position of wanting it today, gets independence for us. How do you say you were part of the struggle for independence?. Because to them March 6, was too short a time for them. To them, we didn’t need independence at that time. Why should we write a history and put your name there, something that you opposed,’ he said.
Eulogising Dr Nkrumah, he said, his intelligence and vision were bigger than the other members of the Big six and that he fronted the independence.
‘The five members of the Big six were not part of Ghana’s independence. There can never be two masters, there will definitely be one, the NPP wants their party to be recognised as the President did, NPP can try as much as they want but Dr Nkrumah will forever remain the founder of this country, and the person who attained independence for us, there is no way history will be re-written to introduce JB. Danquah and others as those who attained independence, he sacrificed his life,’ he said.
