Busia men resist Nkrumah's statue

Some youth of Brong Ahafo Region, the home region of former Prime Minister, Professor Kofi Abrefa Busia, are vehemently angry with the Brong Ahafo Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) over its plans to put up a statue of Ghana's first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Today's investigations have established.

The proposed Nkrumah effigy, according to the inhabitants, if erected in the region would amount to what they described as 'pouring scorn on achievements of Prof Busia’.

Nkrumah’s’ statue would be erected right in front of the statute of Prof Busia at the Sunyani Jubilee Park - a move the irate youth claim would dwarf that of their idol Prof Busia.

The concerns of the youth were, however, echoed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Dormaa East Constituency, Kwaku Agyeman Manu, at a forum over the weekend organised by the Brong Ahafo Students Union (BASU).

Mr Agyeman Manu at the forum chastised the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government for trying to undermine the sacrifices, contribution and achievements Dr Busia made towards the development of the nation.

He, therefore, could not fathom why the Regional Coordinating Council did not find any suitable place for the erection of Nkrumah statute other than where Dr Busia's statue had been erected.

In the estimation of the former minister of local government, "this is a deliberate attempt by the NDC to ridicule persons who belong to the Busia-Dombo-tradition", and questioned "what benefits at all will the erection of the statue of Dr Nkrumah in the region bring to the nation?"

The proposed erection of the statue has subsequently been halted temporarily by the Regional Coordinating Council, the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo announced this over the weekend.

According to him, the decision was arrived at following the intervention, of some members of the clergy in the Brong Ahafo Region who urged the RCC to consider the concerns of the inhabitants, but dropped hints of finding a more suitable location.

"Because of peace, the RCC has decided to temporarily stop the erection of the statue upon intervention by the Christian leaders and would be searching for a new location for the erection of the statue which would later be disclosed," the regional minister noted.

The erection of the statue was part of activities marking the 50th anniversary celebration of the creation of the Brong Ahafo Region last year.