The Kwame Nkrumah Ideological Institute (KNII), on Friday condemned the February 24, 1966 Military coup against the First President Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, describing it as “the dark day in history”.

“It is in this drive that, the Institute remembers the dark historical date of 24th February, 1966 and to share the deep wounds that it has caused the people of Africa-home and in the Diaspora, said Dr Benjamin Anyagre, Executive Director of the KNII in a statement issued in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency.

It said declassified documents indicated that the CIA worked with support from the UK to halt the speedy economic empowerment of the people of Ghana.

“This dark day in Africa, did not only retrogress the continent in its quest for unity, but handed her into the hands of neo-slavery, thereby diluting the essence of the independence of Ghana and a developed continent.”

The statement said the hard work and exploits of Dr Kwame Nkrumah made Ghana a country of hope, which caused a cultural revolution that gave, meaning to the concept-Black, is Beautiful, thereby putting smiles back on the faces of Blacks in the Diaspora after more than 450 years of the slave trade.

It said the beaming hope of Ghana through her industrialisation agenda, was to re-assure those yet to be born in the 1970’s and beyond with growth in employment through viable economic ventures in trade and industry, agriculture, housing, health, education and the pride of the self as a Ghanaian and an African.

“Ghana under Nkrumah’s stewardship was a model and a guide for the rest of Africa and before the ‘Africa’s darkest day’ he had established 68 sprawling state-owned factories producing many needs of the Ghanaian people.

“His seven years Development Plan designed to industrialise Ghana and put her among the most economically advance developing countries of the world, has been rated as one of the best ever by an African government with infrastructural development such as: low cost houses, roads and bridges, schools and colleges, clinics, health centres and hospitals, farms and agricultural undertakings.

“In the 60 years of independence, the Government of Ghana and her people are now talking about one district-one factory, one village-one dam, free secondary education and many more.

“Per the manifestoes of political parties of the 2016 elections, talks to the desire and

wish of the people of Ghana to the ideas and work of Nkrumah as excellent for a more

prosperous and a fulfilling nation.”

The KNII is a Pan African Organisation that seeks to project the African Personality through Arts, Culture, Science, technology and educational achievements.

It is also advocating Continental Union Government now and to be the voice of Nkrumaism.