Forty-three years ago Ghana and Africa lost Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah. Coming a few years after the illegal overthrow of the Nkrumah government in 1966, many nearly lost hope that we will never be able to recapture the opportunity to gain our economic independence as a nation.
But the vision of Kwame Nkrumah never disappeared and has remained a guiding light for his followers.
Additionally and fortunately for Africans everywhere, Kwame Nkrumah left a body of work that articulates his philosophy and ideology for freedom from exploitation, injustice and poverty.
Today we draw strength from the relevance of Nkrumah's vision to recapture the strategies that realized the Akosombo dam, the Tema harbour and township, hundreds of integrated industries, a de-tribalised society and the pacemaker nation in world affairs.
Today, we do not mourn Nkrumah, rather, we are rising to rally all Ghanaians to join us to bring Nkrumah's mind and thinking back to power in Ghana.
I am calling today for Ghanaians to unite under the leadership of avowed Nkrumaists to win political power and implement Nkrumaist development policies to lift Ghana out of dependency, economic mismanagement and injustice.
The manner in which we have run our economy for decades since Nkrumah's exit is the most serious threat to our development. Nkrumah's economic planning, focus on manufacturing, on education and skills development must be revived. The foundation he built for us to own and retain control of our development process must be built on.
With Nkrumaist patriotic principles guiding our decision-making, we will want do away with structural adjustment polices. We will abandon the obsession with inflation targeting and focus on employment creation by supporting our manufacturing sector.
With the return of Nkrumah's reasoning, Ghana will not be a beggar nation under the CPP. When we borrow, we will borrow to finance investments in the productive sectors of our economy and not to support the exchange rate and balance of payments.
Nkrumaists will create the environment for inclusive growth whose benefit is shared among the population fairly and not only enjoyed by a few but by many some of whom are outside the continent.
For the youth of Ghana today who never experienced the positive impact of Nkrumah's policies, Nkrumah represents their only hope for better opportunities, Nkrumah represents hope for Ghanaians. For this hope to become a reality Ghana needs a CPP government in 2016.
The CPP's time has come. Our people are opening their hearts and minds to us and we on our part are ready to give direction and vision.
Nkrumah wrote, "I am happy in the knowledge that death can never extinguish the torch which I have lit in Ghana. Long after I am dead and gone, it will continue to burn and be borne aloft, giving light and guidance to the people."
Signed.
Samia Nkrumah
Chairman and Leader, CPP