President John Dramani Mahama has declared that Ghana’s nation-building journey remains unfinished, calling on Ghanaians to draw inspiration from the vision of the country’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
In a Founder’s Day message on Monday, September 21, President Mahama said while Ghana achieved political independence under Nkrumah’s leadership, the country still has work to do to build a prosperous, equitable and resilient society.
He urged Ghanaians at home and abroad to use Nkrumah’s ideals as a guide in addressing the country’s present challenges.
“Today is our Founder’s Day, another opportunity for us to pause as a people and honour the immortal legacy of our nation’s founder, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah,” he said.
President Mahama described Nkrumah as a visionary whose pursuit of liberty, Pan-African unity and self-reliance established Ghana as a symbol of hope on the global stage.
He said Nkrumah’s belief in the ability of Africans to manage their own affairs continues to underpin Ghana’s national identity and aspirations.
“His bold declaration that ‘the black man is capable of managing his own affairs’ remains the bedrock of our national pride,” President Mahama said.
He, however, said the Founder’s Day commemoration should not be limited to celebrating Nkrumah’s achievements but should also remind Ghanaians of their responsibility to continue the work of nation-building.
“As we celebrate his unparalleled legacy today, I remind every Ghanaian at home and in the diaspora that the work of nation-building is not complete,” he said.
President Mahama linked Nkrumah’s struggle for political independence to what he described as the present need to pursue economic freedom and social development.
He called on Ghanaians to contribute to the government’s Resetting Ghana Agenda while promoting national unity, patriotism, economic freedom and social justice.
“Let us draw strength from Osagyefo’s vision and contribute in our own way to attaining the Resetting Ghana Agenda. I charge us all to rise above division, embrace selfless patriotism, and work tirelessly toward economic freedom and social justice,” he said.
President Mahama further called for a collective effort to build a country that reflects the aspirations of the independence generation.
“Just as Nkrumah fought for our political independence, we have a collective duty today to build a prosperous, equitable, and resilient Ghana,” he added.
Founder’s Day is observed on September 21, coinciding with the birthday of Dr Nkrumah, who was born on September 21, 1909.
