Mahama, CPP, PPP wish Ghanaians well

Former President John Dramani Mahama and two political parties have congratulated Ghanaians on the commemoration of Ghana’s 64th independence anniversary.

In separate messages, they also called for a rethink of Ghana’s development agenda that would bring equity to the people.

The two political parties are the Convention People’s Party (CPP), whose statement was signed by its General Secretary, Nana Yaa Akyempim Jantuah, and the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), whose message was signed by its National Chairman, Nana Ofori Owusu.

Mahama

In his message, former President Mahama reminded Ghanaians that “we have only nation, Ghana, and we must work together to ensure progress and growth of our dear nation.”

“We can only do this if we ensure equality, freedom and justice for our citizens," he stated.

CPP

For its part, the CPP appealed to Ghanaians to rejoin the party for it to execute the development agenda initiated by Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, after Ghana gained independence in 1957.

“Today, we find the absence of good educational facilities and systems, lack of good health care systems, inadequate essential amenities such as electricity and water. Sanitation in our country today is in a sorry state where garbage and fifth are littered all over the place. Unemployment of the youth is our bane with no definite and concrete plan to find jobs for them,” it stated.

Nkrumah’s efforts

It said under the leadership of Dr Nkrumah after independence, the CPP changed the economic and social landscape of the country with an innovative model of development based on a deliberate, systematic and conscious planning of empowering Ghanaians through Free Compulsory Quality Education-at all levels, free quality health care, job creation and employment opportunities.

It said it also included an inculcation of social values which imbibed self-confidence through the African personality.

“There was also the protection of state properties which were built by the CPP government as part of the development agenda for the nation, Ghana,” it stated.

Coups

The statement expressed regret that 64 years down the line, the very foundation of economic independence laid by Dr Nkrumah had been totally shared through the implementation of neo-liberal market policies, following a myriad of coups started in 1966.

It said an alternative model of development for Ghana had become imperative, hence the need for Ghanaians to join the rank and file of the CPP so as to reject the neo-liberal policies.

PPP

The PPP noted that after 64 years of independence, the challenges Ghanaians continued to face often made the celebration of independence a gloomy one.

“With the COVID-19 global pandemic forcing the world to rethink its norms and values, let us through bold leadership at the Executive, Judicial and Legislative branches of government rethink how we celebrate this memorable day in a way that will be etched in the heart of every Ghanaian, that government is of the people, by the people and for the people; and not of the party, by the party, for the party,” it stated.

It said the celebration of independence must come from the joyous spirit of its citizens not overly dependent on external nations for basic survival but from “the diversity as a people using our derived strength to build this nation.”