Kojo,I am humbled by your wisdom and I have taken food for thought in the biblical stance "no prophet is accepted in his own country".It an undeniable fact that Nkrumah lived severl years ahead of his time.Even his arch enem ... read full comment
Kojo,I am humbled by your wisdom and I have taken food for thought in the biblical stance "no prophet is accepted in his own country".It an undeniable fact that Nkrumah lived severl years ahead of his time.Even his arch enemies,the imperialists and neo-colonialists have admitted that Nkrumah was a unique African.
James K. Dadzie 9 years ago
It is an undeniable fact that Nkrumah lived several years ahead of his time.
It is an undeniable fact that Nkrumah lived several years ahead of his time.
Ghanaian Patriot 9 years ago
Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah would have succeeded but for the then Asantehene, NLM (Mate), the Abuakwas (JB Danquah) encouraged by the Colonialists and stoogists in independent African States.
Ghana in particular is paying t ... read full comment
Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah would have succeeded but for the then Asantehene, NLM (Mate), the Abuakwas (JB Danquah) encouraged by the Colonialists and stoogists in independent African States.
Ghana in particular is paying the price of failure. For 50 years, University of Science and Technology has not produced a right thinking technocrat. We cannot repair our bridges, let alone construct new ones.
It is a shame. However Nkrumah never dies.
SARPONG 9 years ago
If Kwame Nkrumah was not removed, he would have found antidote for death itself. I wonder why he did not see his own doom before leaving for Hanoi, Vietnam.
If Kwame Nkrumah was not removed, he would have found antidote for death itself. I wonder why he did not see his own doom before leaving for Hanoi, Vietnam.
Joe 9 years ago
Sarpong, you never speak sense and that baffles me. You are a waste in society
Sarpong, you never speak sense and that baffles me. You are a waste in society
Kwesi, Cape Coast 9 years ago
If Nkrumah was an Ashanti he would have been Mr. Sarpong's hero. No wonder he's been battling with his co-tribalist Okoame Ahoofe over Nana Addo (Akyem) versus Kyeremanteng (Ashanti).
If Nkrumah was an Ashanti he would have been Mr. Sarpong's hero. No wonder he's been battling with his co-tribalist Okoame Ahoofe over Nana Addo (Akyem) versus Kyeremanteng (Ashanti).
James 9 years ago
Hey Sarpong! If you can't beat Nkrumah's admirers,join them.Don't be ashamed to praise Africa's political genius and visionary,the great Nkrumah.Don't pretend you don't appreciate Nkrumah's achievements.I thought you were ver ... read full comment
Hey Sarpong! If you can't beat Nkrumah's admirers,join them.Don't be ashamed to praise Africa's political genius and visionary,the great Nkrumah.Don't pretend you don't appreciate Nkrumah's achievements.I thought you were very learned and fair-minded.
Albert Owusu-Ansah 9 years ago
Is this jealousy or tribal hatred ?Nkrumah's achievements are self-evident.SARPONG is the only stranger in Jerusalem.
Is this jealousy or tribal hatred ?Nkrumah's achievements are self-evident.SARPONG is the only stranger in Jerusalem.
Areo 9 years ago
If you have a beaucoup of money as Nkrumah was given, any fool would have done what Nkrumah did but what did he do when he ran through the money he inherited? He was clueless like Mahama and went back to the colonial masters ... read full comment
If you have a beaucoup of money as Nkrumah was given, any fool would have done what Nkrumah did but what did he do when he ran through the money he inherited? He was clueless like Mahama and went back to the colonial masters to bail him out. He was nothing special.
SARPONG 9 years ago
Why are you guys all tripping? Nkrumah was so 'great' he could have done anything, is that not what you guys want us to believe?
Nkrumah would have found cure for everything. The Author said if Nkrumah was not removed, eve ... read full comment
Why are you guys all tripping? Nkrumah was so 'great' he could have done anything, is that not what you guys want us to believe?
Nkrumah would have found cure for everything. The Author said if Nkrumah was not removed, even Ebola would not have happened.
Nkrumah did his best as a leader, I will give him that. As a matter of fact as far as economic achievements is concerned, he has no equal in Ghana but he has his flaws. He was a brutal dictator ten times worse than Yahya Jammeh of Gambia and that is a fact you hero worshippers want to deny but history is history and it is a fact.l
sweet stackleberg 9 years ago
Nkrumah this, Nkrumah that, Nkrumah will have found a cure for AIDS
Haba!!!
Nkrumah this, Nkrumah that, Nkrumah will have found a cure for AIDS
Haba!!!
NOBODY 9 years ago
The people that you mentioned were not instrumental in the fall of Nkrumah. rather, it was the USA and its CIA during a cold war era hell bent on ensuring that Africa did not tilt to the East. America brought down Nkrumah. Th ... read full comment
The people that you mentioned were not instrumental in the fall of Nkrumah. rather, it was the USA and its CIA during a cold war era hell bent on ensuring that Africa did not tilt to the East. America brought down Nkrumah. The local players were merely little stooges who played only minor roles.
Joe 9 years ago
what a fool you are(nobody). What do you mean by "minor role"? who took the gun to stage the coup and who went to the broadcasting corp to announce the coup? who dismantled all that had been done? and who formed the next gove ... read full comment
what a fool you are(nobody). What do you mean by "minor role"? who took the gun to stage the coup and who went to the broadcasting corp to announce the coup? who dismantled all that had been done? and who formed the next government? Please talk sense bcos you're talking to matured people here, ok!!
Let me tell you this; the fall of Nkrumah was the beginning of the end of Africa.
Unless someone with the character, intelligence and the poise of Nkrumah comes, Africa is doomed forever. Africa has now been recolonized.
Dont support unintelligent people like Sarpong to misinform the youth.
ELINAN 9 years ago
Everything Nkrumah said we should do to be free was rejected and now fifty years on, other people are forcing us at every conference to unify and trade within ourselves and it seems we gonna do it but not for us but for them. ... read full comment
Everything Nkrumah said we should do to be free was rejected and now fifty years on, other people are forcing us at every conference to unify and trade within ourselves and it seems we gonna do it but not for us but for them. They gonna put their money behind it and reap the benefits.
To agree to unify two or more countries is for strategic reasons and the parties in the agreement make every effort with money and personal sacrifice to make it work without taking a penny from no one freely.
Africans are being forced to unify not for their own home grown strategic reasons but rather the strategic reasons of those who got us here in the first place.
All the cowards will agree to this but said no to the same thing Nkrumah proposed years back with the blue print still out there taking dust all due to lack of testicular fortitude on the part of these useless fearful leaders.
Today we've accepted the oldest continent who gave the world every law, every spirituality and morality, a continent that for thousands of years doing everything right before the invention of Adam and Eve and every diluted theory that followed to be termed the youngest continent.
If because of African youths that others termed as the youngest continent, the question is is Africa the only place with youth population? And if the answer is no, then can we say there'e something sinister in this new tag for Africa?
Africa the light of the world was termed the dark continent, Africa the richest of all places is coined the poorest continent and Africans the brightest and most innovative of all races are made to look the dumbest of all races and finally the oldest continent with thousands of years in rearing cattle,farming rice and metal working is now being called the youngest and fools as we are made to be accepted this new name as we did Africa, Victoria falls, Nigeria,Ivory Coast South Africa and the stupid notion that some lunatics called Stanley and Mungo Park discovered some rivers in Africa that our forefathers had been fishing for years long before Europe came to the scene just yesterday.
WAKE UP DARK BROWN MEN AND WOMEN!!
ELINAN 9 years ago
Yes, others people see their huge profit in our forced and coerced unity.
If we could have seen it and feel it as Nkrumah did, we wouldn't wait for no one to tell us. Strategically, no one would have even knew it and by the ... read full comment
Yes, others people see their huge profit in our forced and coerced unity.
If we could have seen it and feel it as Nkrumah did, we wouldn't wait for no one to tell us. Strategically, no one would have even knew it and by the time they realized they won't know what have hit them, just as China did.
NO BODY BEGGED CHINA TO UNIFY, THEY ONLY DID IT 'COS THEIR LIVES DEPENDED ON IT.
Areo 9 years ago
Brightest and innovative of all? Are you kidding? Where is the evidence of African brightness and innovation?
Brightest and innovative of all? Are you kidding? Where is the evidence of African brightness and innovation?
ELINAN 9 years ago
If you can not be the brightest the you can let others determine your destiny.
Africans did it before without Europe and can do it again just go learn the true Africa history, and not his-story.
If you can not be the brightest the you can let others determine your destiny.
Africans did it before without Europe and can do it again just go learn the true Africa history, and not his-story.
Thessa 9 years ago
You are one of those cuckoos
You are one of those cuckoos
OKOE 9 years ago
AFRICAN BRIGHTNESS AND INNOVATION
IS MANIFEST ALL OVER THE WORLD AS SUCH, IT IS DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY AND TO BE OBSERVED. WE IN AFRICA DO NOT NEED TO INVENT THE WHEEL. LONG AGO, WE WERE PART OF THE INVENTION. ONLY ALONG THE ... read full comment
AFRICAN BRIGHTNESS AND INNOVATION
IS MANIFEST ALL OVER THE WORLD AS SUCH, IT IS DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY AND TO BE OBSERVED. WE IN AFRICA DO NOT NEED TO INVENT THE WHEEL. LONG AGO, WE WERE PART OF THE INVENTION. ONLY ALONG THE WAY, DUE TO GREED AND SELFISHNESS WE FELL ALONG THE WAY TO HARNESS THE POTENTIAL OF AFRICA AND AFRICANS. ALL WE ARE SAYING IS THAT THERE IS STRENGTH IN UNITY. UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL THEY SAID.
Mr. Figure-Out 9 years ago
Ghana has every right to succeed without our continental unity. Had it not been the crass incompetent and mediocre politics we indulge ourselves in. We have people made ministers of state not because they have the know how or ... read full comment
Ghana has every right to succeed without our continental unity. Had it not been the crass incompetent and mediocre politics we indulge ourselves in. We have people made ministers of state not because they have the know how or what it takes but simply because of the role the play to help their party to come to power. Why should the likes of Joseph Yamin, Ablakwah, Trokosi Anita Desoso be made to hold sensitive position in our day to day management if we are really a serious nation. Why should we talk of African Unity before we tackle corruption in our system. In other words how would a unified Africa stop clueless Mahama and his Azontaba thieves from planting trees on a desert in the dry season?. Ghana can do much better without Mahama, the ndc and haters who vote on tribal lines.
Ghanaian Patriot 9 years ago
Mr Figure-Out, you write nonsense. No where in this world has a party come to power without giving ministerial appointments to its supporters or those that helped the party to come power.
Tony Blair made John Prescott hi ... read full comment
Mr Figure-Out, you write nonsense. No where in this world has a party come to power without giving ministerial appointments to its supporters or those that helped the party to come power.
Tony Blair made John Prescott his deputy. Don't write with hatred and spoil good topic.
Mr. Figure-Out 9 years ago
Do you have the brains to discern what is nonsense? The NDC has more competent people than this clueless crew we have in Mahamas administration. How experience is Mahama Ayariga to be a minister when Bagbin, Nana Ato Dadze, ... read full comment
Do you have the brains to discern what is nonsense? The NDC has more competent people than this clueless crew we have in Mahamas administration. How experience is Mahama Ayariga to be a minister when Bagbin, Nana Ato Dadze, Sam Pee Yalley and a host of competent and experienced others sit on the fence? Ghana can do better than this experimental school boys occupying the front lines. You are probably too daft to understand this plain language.
K.Gyasi 9 years ago
I always say the African man's only ally in this world is his fellow African.
The sooner we realize this the better.
Puppet regimes all around Africa especially in Ghana,how do we even start to initiate the process of unifi ... read full comment
I always say the African man's only ally in this world is his fellow African.
The sooner we realize this the better.
Puppet regimes all around Africa especially in Ghana,how do we even start to initiate the process of unification.
Things have to change.
For one child to smile in the west,it costs countless crying African children.Why????!!!
We can make it work!
The skeptics can migrate and leave us to make it happen.
Kwasi 9 years ago
I'm sure you reside in the US where unity has transformed it into the most powerful country in the world i.e. economically, politically and militarily. A prosperous Ghana can't afford to be surrounded by poor neighbors. Moreo ... read full comment
I'm sure you reside in the US where unity has transformed it into the most powerful country in the world i.e. economically, politically and militarily. A prosperous Ghana can't afford to be surrounded by poor neighbors. Moreover the Ghanaian market is too small for most American franchises. They would rather prefer a united West African market.
El Niño 9 years ago
Ghana's neighbors are far from being poor.Please get your facts right.Those neighboring countries you refer to as poor have more mineral and oil deposits than many European countries.From Nigeria's oil to Ivory Coast's untapp ... read full comment
Ghana's neighbors are far from being poor.Please get your facts right.Those neighboring countries you refer to as poor have more mineral and oil deposits than many European countries.From Nigeria's oil to Ivory Coast's untapped good deposits.Gabon etc also have oil .The problem with these countries is exploitation from their crooked puppet regimes and the western powers.Currently these puppet regimes assist the real terrorists of the world to exploit the natural resources meant for the citizens.in return the countries get 3% Comission etc?
Michigan, USA 9 years ago
Most countries depend on puppets because over these many years of independence, we have not had the common sense as a continent to develop any industries to undertake these projects that only the so called puppets can do. Who ... read full comment
Most countries depend on puppets because over these many years of independence, we have not had the common sense as a continent to develop any industries to undertake these projects that only the so called puppets can do. Who is to blame for that besides our own selfish, greedy and abject incompetent politicians.
Mr. Figure-Out 9 years ago
Kwasi,my stepson, I am not against the idea of continental Africa Unity but i simply cannot see it happening in the offing. American one could not have been more challenging than the one confronting Africa. In the case of USA ... read full comment
Kwasi,my stepson, I am not against the idea of continental Africa Unity but i simply cannot see it happening in the offing. American one could not have been more challenging than the one confronting Africa. In the case of USA there were not too much of a cultural diversity, English was the major dialect in almost all the states, their level of education and understanding was so high, etc. This is not the case in Africa where wars and tribalism has become the order of the day.
Besides, Malaysia and Singapore did not wait for Asia to unit before they rose up to the economic feet they have achieved for themselves. Now Singapore has per capita income far far greater than the USA and China and it's third in the world.
Nkrumah separated part of Central, Western, Eastern and Brong Ahafo regions from Ashanti and at the same time was preaching Africa Unity on the international platform.You can call it Walking Contradiction . Nkrumah could have turned Ghana into a paradise with the resources available to him at that time but he instead chose to waste our cocoa monies on that fruitless venture. You cannot even fix the problems in Ghana let alone that of Africa. Can you imagine what would happen if Mahama is chosen as the president of The United States Of Africa!
Albert Owusu-Ansah 9 years ago
There is no correlation between creating more regions in Ghana,for effective adminstrative purposes and continental government for Africa? Why do you think the state of Carolina in U.S. was divided into North Carolina and Sou ... read full comment
There is no correlation between creating more regions in Ghana,for effective adminstrative purposes and continental government for Africa? Why do you think the state of Carolina in U.S. was divided into North Carolina and South Carolina?
SARPONG 9 years ago
Carolina was not divided into two for administrative purposes or too big to be governed as one state population or landwise or Texas, California or Alaska would have been divided too.
Carolina colonists were fighting over ... read full comment
Carolina was not divided into two for administrative purposes or too big to be governed as one state population or landwise or Texas, California or Alaska would have been divided too.
Carolina colonists were fighting over the ownership of the land and it was divided to satisfy the feuding factions.
K.Gyasi 9 years ago
You don't know what you have until it's gone.
EPA GMO and gay ism are ready to be signed by the hopeless crooks in parliament from both Ndc and Npp. State industries are either collapsed or sold to foreigners,Private Ghanaia ... read full comment
You don't know what you have until it's gone.
EPA GMO and gay ism are ready to be signed by the hopeless crooks in parliament from both Ndc and Npp. State industries are either collapsed or sold to foreigners,Private Ghanaian industries and farmers have little or no incentives and grants.IMF World Bank etc are your current keepers and owners pending their bail out .Pointless tribalism and huge break down of moral fabric and civic education of the average Ghanaian.ECG has deliberately been mismanaged to allow privatization to eu or american company .
Gold is gone to the Brits and we get only 3%,oil is shared by the americans and Brits and we get a 10% cut.
Education I don't even want to go there before I shed tears.
All those who were part of and support the 1966 coup plot must stand and clap for themselves.
2014 has revealed and still revealing your myopic minds.
Ghana's independence has been totally nullified hence the rains on 6th March this year.
Unrepentant people.
Kweku Donsuro 9 years ago
Too idealistic. Nkrumah had his head in the clouds.
Too idealistic. Nkrumah had his head in the clouds.
Albert Owusu-Ansah 9 years ago
Those who do not appreciate Nkrumah's vision are rather short-sighted.
Those who do not appreciate Nkrumah's vision are rather short-sighted.
SARPONG 9 years ago
Nkrumah's vision started to be a mirage starting in 1964 when the economy started collapsing and Ghanaians started queuing for essential commodities like soap and milk, something that never happened during the years of coloni ... read full comment
Nkrumah's vision started to be a mirage starting in 1964 when the economy started collapsing and Ghanaians started queuing for essential commodities like soap and milk, something that never happened during the years of colonial rule and Nkrumah started running budget deficits.
GHANABA 9 years ago
Too idealistic.....That is what people said about Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Nicola Tesla.It would have been too idealistic and unthinkable in 1960 to think of Obama becoming the president of USA.Kofi Annan, becoming the he ... read full comment
Too idealistic.....That is what people said about Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Nicola Tesla.It would have been too idealistic and unthinkable in 1960 to think of Obama becoming the president of USA.Kofi Annan, becoming the head of the UN.Colin Powell as chief of staff.Condo Rice as Secretary of State.That is what Nkrumah meant when he said."The blackman is capable of managing his own affairs". The operative word is "Capable".
SARPONG 9 years ago
When the white man is holding your dick so that you will "pee" when he squeeze it, you will do the right thing.
Of all the black people you mentioned, which one is/was African?
Tell me any black African leader who has ... read full comment
When the white man is holding your dick so that you will "pee" when he squeeze it, you will do the right thing.
Of all the black people you mentioned, which one is/was African?
Tell me any black African leader who has done anything to transform any black African country. Those people you mentioned operated in a less corrupt white man's country .
Albert Owusu-Ansah 9 years ago
1970 born SARPONG,to answer your question,the only black African leader who has done something to transform his country is KWAME NKRUMAH.I am surprised you don't know this.I think your age is a setback.You need to do lot of ... read full comment
1970 born SARPONG,to answer your question,the only black African leader who has done something to transform his country is KWAME NKRUMAH.I am surprised you don't know this.I think your age is a setback.You need to do lot of research about Nkrumah and Ghana's transformation from 6th March 1957-24th February,1966.
SARPONG 9 years ago
If you give me a load of money, I can do a lot of projects and a lot of people can do the same. Nkrumah had a lot of money he had from the colonial masters to do a lot of projects from 1957-1963.
We should look at Nkrumah ... read full comment
If you give me a load of money, I can do a lot of projects and a lot of people can do the same. Nkrumah had a lot of money he had from the colonial masters to do a lot of projects from 1957-1963.
We should look at Nkrumah from when he had finished using the money given to him to know how innovative and a vision leader he was. During this time, Nkrumah was very ordinary doing the same thing present leaders are doing going to IMF and begging other countries to help him support his budget which we call now as developmental partners. Ghana from 1964 was politically and economic hell, that is a fact and not fiction you hero worshippers of Nkrumah can deny.
GHANABA 9 years ago
You could not even get the amount of money left by the British right in one of your numerous articles.You exaggerated it to a mind boggling 20 billion nonsense in 2014 money.You can hate Nkrumah as much as you like.On the plu ... read full comment
You could not even get the amount of money left by the British right in one of your numerous articles.You exaggerated it to a mind boggling 20 billion nonsense in 2014 money.You can hate Nkrumah as much as you like.On the plus side,you have written some brilliant articles.Felix Boigny used $300million to build a basilica in his village.Nkrumah did a lot for Ghana,that is a fact you haters of him have to accept.'
SARPONG 9 years ago
Ghanaba, Nkrumah was so secretive that nobody can even point the actual figure he got from the British. It has been speculated as low as 70 million pounds and as high as 400 million pounds which can be as much as 20 billion d ... read full comment
Ghanaba, Nkrumah was so secretive that nobody can even point the actual figure he got from the British. It has been speculated as low as 70 million pounds and as high as 400 million pounds which can be as much as 20 billion dollars as I said in dollars totay, compounded after 57 years.
Houphet Boutgney might have built that Basillica with that amount but you need to go to Ivory Coast and you will realize that, Ivory Coast is more developed than Ghana.
We even 'rent' energy from them to watch world cup soccer matches and that is a shame.
GHANABA 9 years ago
Felix Boigny ruled Ivory coast as President for 33yrs as a one party state and president for life.I know Ivory Coast like the back of my hand.From Abengourou to Bouake.The British do have records.You can check a lot of facts ... read full comment
Felix Boigny ruled Ivory coast as President for 33yrs as a one party state and president for life.I know Ivory Coast like the back of my hand.From Abengourou to Bouake.The British do have records.You can check a lot of facts from their parliamentary Hansard about Gold Coast.I can even provide you with Gold Coast accounts from 1908 to 1957 all on pdf.400 Million pounds is just ridiculous.Nobody hero worships Nkrumah,we know his pros and cons.Mobutu,Bongo etc had a lot of money but they squandered it on
themselves.Busia,the so-called democrat banned GTUC from going on strike. As i said earlier,you do write sensible stuff...but enough of Nkrumah bashing.America was not as democratic as you see it today during the Nkrumah era.Take care.
Albert Owusu-Ansah 9 years ago
"if you give me a load of money,I can do a lot of projects and a lot of people can do the same.Nkrumah had a lot of money he from had from the colonial masters to do a lot of projects from 1957-1963."
Your statement really ... read full comment
"if you give me a load of money,I can do a lot of projects and a lot of people can do the same.Nkrumah had a lot of money he from had from the colonial masters to do a lot of projects from 1957-1963."
Your statement really shows how shallow-minded and naive you are.There is an endless list of African leaders who have transferred billions of dollars into foreign accounts,whilst their countries have been left totally undeveloped.It takes wisdom,intelligence and foresight to implement projects and this exactly what Nkrumah did to uplift his people.The British government left 140 million pounds and Nkrumah's seven year development plan was estimated at 1 BILLION pounds.I hope you know the difference between 140 million pounds and 1 BILLION pounds.Nkrumah depended heavily on loans for his projects.My friend,you have to eschew your hatred and do more research.
SARPONG 9 years ago
Mr Owusu Ansah, why is the statement shallow and naïve? If I give you ten million dollars now can't you embark on some developmental projects? As far as how much Nkrumah was given upon assuming the leadership of this country ... read full comment
Mr Owusu Ansah, why is the statement shallow and naïve? If I give you ten million dollars now can't you embark on some developmental projects? As far as how much Nkrumah was given upon assuming the leadership of this country, nobody has been able to prove how much, it has ranged as low as 70 million pounds to as high as 400 million pounds.
There is no need to resort to insults because I can respond forcefully to your emotionally disturbed jibber-jabbering foolishness because you cannot prove anything as far as your figures here are concerned. If you want to have an intelligent discourse, continue with me but if you are here to do hero worshipping, I am not into wasting my time with people with low IQ's and lobotomy patients.
"The political wave that swept Kwame Nkrumah into office as Prime Minister of Ghana was a true expression of her population. The nation was enjoying prosperity; foreign and domestic reserves were healthy; cocoa prices were excellent and stable and, in general, the prospects for the country's future were outstanding.
Nkrumah's government immediately embarked upon a very costly nationwide infrastructure improvement scheme. Roads were built and/or improved, in most cases, to all weather standards. The Accra to Tema Motorway was built to near Autobahn proportions. Medical services were greatly improved and expanded. Positive steps were taken towards implementation of the vast and extraordinarily costly Volta River hydro-electric dam at Akosombo. Tema township and world class harbor were built.
Nkrumah focused enormous resources on improving Ghana's export agricultural base which, traditionally, was heavily dependent upon cocoa. The Agricultural Development Board was established to regulate cocoa production, purchasing and marketing and to identify, subsidize and promote the production of other cash crops to alleviate the tenuous cocoa dependency.
The Industrial Development Corporation was formed to plan and undertake a full range of industrial projects. The Management Development and Productivity Institute was chartered along with its principal division, The Ghanaian Business Bureau, designed to develop and nurture small to medium size Ghanaian-owned businesses.
Government was determined to reduce Ghana's dependence on foreign manufacturers and bring an end to the nations' vulnerable position as a supplier of raw materials.
When Nkrumah took office as Prime Minister on 6 March, 1957, there was every indication that the above very noble activities could be successfully undertaken on a sustained basis. Cocoa prices were stable and at a near high, providing a steady and seemingly reliable source of foreign exchange.
In addition, and most importantly, Ghana was united behind her leader, succumbing to his extraordinary oratory, glib rhetoric and zeal. There was a vibrant national passion for development and self-reliance. Throughout the nation, in every region, in every Chiefdom, the population was enthusiastically and earnestly engaged in Nkrumah sponsored and supported self-help schemes; building schools, clinics, village and town centers, roads, drains and irrigation systems. Ghana of 1957-1959 experienced a massive outpouring of productive energy and was being keenly observed by the international community as the development model for emerging African nations.
So what went wrong? How and why did the brilliant, charismatic Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the outspoken Marxist/Communist, Pan-African Founding Father of Ghana, begin his political slide and ultimate ignominious fall from power?
The list of reasons is lengthy and complex but it is safe to say, that Nkrumah's decline began in early 1960. Until then, the population, because he had lead them to Independence from Britain, was generally willing to overlook Nkrumah's Marxist/Communist ideological pronouncements, his costly demands for pomp and splendor and his assumption of more and more power, in many cases, usurping elected and Traditional Authority.
However, beginning in mid-1960, at about the time that he assumed the Presidency and approved the new Republican Constitution, the economic fallibility of Ghana clearly manifested itself and materially effected the lives of all Ghanaians. From 1960 to 1965, world cocoa prices plummeted, and the enormous development spending begun by Nkrumah four years earlier, severely impacted the country's economy. Foreign exchange and government's reserves shrank and disappeared. Unemployment rose dramatically. Food prices skyrocketed up over 250% from 1957 levels and up a phenomenal 66% in 1965. Eventually, there were massive food and essentials shortages effecting every area, sector and individual in Ghana. Econmic growth, which had ranged from 9% to 12% per annum until 1960, dropped to 2% to 3%, insufficient to sustain a population expanding at almost 3% per year.
Nkrumah's response was an austere socialist budget which imposed flawed Marxist concepts of economic resuscitation on the population, primarily through harsh and unrealistic taxation. Financial mismanagement and economic chaos increased and the country was eventually poised at the brink of national bankruptcy and international disgrace.
In the meantime, to shore up his eroding political strength, Nkrumah assumed more and more power which he exercised capriciously. Obsessed with personal safety after two failed assassination attempts, he established a very well and heavily armed Secret Security Service and Presidential Guard recruited from abroad and under his direct control. Resentment by the ill-equipped Army and Police followed.
Not only that, Nkrumah had planned to arrest and imprison Kotoka upon his return from Hanoi having accused him of Diamond smuggling in Congo during Kotoka's tour of duty during the Congo war. Nkrumah had plans to retire Police Commissioner Harlley too so these two Gentlemen haven got the news on the grapevine had personal goal as to see the back of Nkrumah and CIA had a listening and willing individuals ready to embark on "Operation Cold Chop"
In 1964, Nkrumah declared himself President for Life and summarily banned all opposition political parties. His enemies, real and imagined, were detained. In the process, innocent people from all over Ghana were swept up and imprisoned in complete abuse of their individual rights and liberties. Laws were suspended and/or manipulated to prop up Nkrumah's faltering regime.
C.Y. ANDY-K 9 years ago
Actually, the money the CPP "inherited" upon independence is no secret. If my memory serves me well (trying to remember from the '70s) , it was just about £240m. And the truth is that the CPP regime actually saved that mone ... read full comment
Actually, the money the CPP "inherited" upon independence is no secret. If my memory serves me well (trying to remember from the '70s) , it was just about £240m. And the truth is that the CPP regime actually saved that money upon assumption of office, thanks to the infamous "anchor of safety" by the Nobel Laureate Arthur Lewis which precipitated the emergence of the NLM. the Korean War led to a commodity boom and the price of cocoa was hitting the sky even in the midst of the unpopular cutting down of swollen shoot diseased trees and some health ones to boot by corrupt staff in order to boost their earnings. Using that as a campaign issue to win over the farmers and then renegading on promises made to halt the cutting of the diseased trees and then refusing to increase cocoa prices in order to avoid inflation and save money for a rainy day, with hindsight, was a bad advice and policy.
What Nkrumah actually inherited from the British was a mere £19m when the West Africa Produce Board was dissolved to pave way for the GCMB. Nigeria got even less, a mere £9m! All these facts are found in one of the human geography books we used in Sixth Form in the '70s.
Btw, it was a common joke in the '60s among the grown ups that the British even wanted the Gold Coast to donate that meagre £19m reserve to their War Recovery and Nkrumah refused.
Andy-K
sweet stackleberg 9 years ago
Suck a fart out of my rectum. I am glad Nkrumah the bitch was chased out!
Suck a fart out of my rectum. I am glad Nkrumah the bitch was chased out!
GHANABA 9 years ago
Ian Kharma has done well for his people.Your contempt for Nkrumah is well known.Thanks
Ian Kharma has done well for his people.Your contempt for Nkrumah is well known.Thanks
SARPONG 9 years ago
Sorry, I don't have any contempt for Nkrumah. I have praised the man for his selfless devotion to Ghana and uncorruptible history. His flaw was that, he saw himself as the only person with all the solutions for the country an ... read full comment
Sorry, I don't have any contempt for Nkrumah. I have praised the man for his selfless devotion to Ghana and uncorruptible history. His flaw was that, he saw himself as the only person with all the solutions for the country and any disagreement with him was tantamount to treason for him.
He did well economically but his trynnical rule ended up costing him his presidency. You People want to make him a Saint he was not and anybody who wants to tell the history as recorded is seen as Nkrumah hater, not at all. He was a dictator who ended up being dethroned.
Kwame 9 years ago
I'm compelled to think some of us that call ourselves "Akans", want to rewrite Ghana's history to suit our narratives of what our grand fathers(Busia Danquah tradition)told us. We do not want to be objective on the facts. All ... read full comment
I'm compelled to think some of us that call ourselves "Akans", want to rewrite Ghana's history to suit our narratives of what our grand fathers(Busia Danquah tradition)told us. We do not want to be objective on the facts. All we want to do is to show Nkrumah as a bad leader.
We do not want to accept the facts that the western world saw Nkrumah, during the cold war as someone against their plans to dominate the resources of the Afrikan continent. For that reason all that they did to prevent and impede Nkrumah's plans to develop Ghana are constantly ignored and continue to label him as a "dictator".
This term, "dictator" was what they labeled him and made us to believe it and quote it all the time. Whereas the very Western world described Nkrumah as the best leader in the developing countries that put up policies to benefit his people and did not kill non of his opponents or distractors.
Name the Ghanaian leader that ruled the country without the interferences of the Governor for six years and put up policies to build,
schools and universities for the people to attend.
Went on to create companies(Gihoc industries, etc) that after the education, the people have places to work,
planned townships (Tema Communities,Kaneshie Estates, etc) and built them to provide decent places to live with sewage structures.
Built health posts around the country to take care of the people's health needs.
Constructed roads to link up the country and other Afrikan countries.
Yes he had faults and failures as a leader however, all we paint of him is how bad a leader he was and how he wasted money that was left when he came into power. Please tells us how much money the colonial masters left for him to do all these he did.
What did we as a people, Ghanaians did, after a few of us helped the Western world to remove him, to continue where he left off to improve our lives and continue development of Ghana? Let's ask this question of ourselves as individuals as we critique whatever Nkrumah did.
TEE 9 years ago
THANK GOD I AM A NATIVE GHANAIAN AND PROUD PERIOD
THANK GOD I AM A NATIVE GHANAIAN AND PROUD PERIOD
TEE 9 years ago
OUR LAND PERIOD. NATIVE GHANAIAN
OUR LAND PERIOD. NATIVE GHANAIAN
Alhaji Pope 9 years ago
No black african should ever think of, African unity that would include the arabes. its just a mockery.
No black african should ever think of, African unity that would include the arabes. its just a mockery.
Michian, USA 9 years ago
Thank you very much Mr. Tamakloe for this interesting and historical abstract. Nkrumah's rationales back in the early sixties still holds in this present day. I pray to God for his plan's implementation some day, before the r ... read full comment
Thank you very much Mr. Tamakloe for this interesting and historical abstract. Nkrumah's rationales back in the early sixties still holds in this present day. I pray to God for his plan's implementation some day, before the return of Christ in the flesh to redeem us all. All we do in Africa is to blame the past instead of using our God's given brains and resources to go along for the ride.
Imoru 9 years ago
Kojo and all such as you, Nkrumah pointed out the innumerable merits of African unity and the way to achieve that unity.All of us have been mesmerized by the man's political genius and courage.Enough of the talking, lets grab ... read full comment
Kojo and all such as you, Nkrumah pointed out the innumerable merits of African unity and the way to achieve that unity.All of us have been mesmerized by the man's political genius and courage.Enough of the talking, lets grab the mantle and have the equal courage to race it to the finishing line.Otherwise we will have been the "no show rap generation", timid, apish, and functionally illiterate.
adumtumi nyansafuo paa ni 9 years ago
He bankrupt Ghana, tortured people. This man was a dictator, he did not want his own people to be free. He was a traitor, he said black man should handle their own affairs. But he is the same person who ran to the white man f ... read full comment
He bankrupt Ghana, tortured people. This man was a dictator, he did not want his own people to be free. He was a traitor, he said black man should handle their own affairs. But he is the same person who ran to the white man for advice and got screwed.
Atikopo#3 9 years ago
Anyone on this thread praising Kwame Nkrumah is an idiot!!
If you think he was that good for us; the CPP is trying to revive his ideas.
Why in the hell are you all not supporting the CPP so we can rebuild Ghana!!
You ... read full comment
Anyone on this thread praising Kwame Nkrumah is an idiot!!
If you think he was that good for us; the CPP is trying to revive his ideas.
Why in the hell are you all not supporting the CPP so we can rebuild Ghana!!
You are all hypocrites.
The CPP has dying constituencies in your stupid, backward villages. Get to work or shut the hell up!!
Joe Mensah 9 years ago
All Nkrumah's enemies some of whom were not even born during his rule,must read his speeches and his books,and take a deep breath.They will really appreciate the wisdom of this political genius and visionary,and preach his m ... read full comment
All Nkrumah's enemies some of whom were not even born during his rule,must read his speeches and his books,and take a deep breath.They will really appreciate the wisdom of this political genius and visionary,and preach his message to the world.
Joe Mensah 9 years ago
We all know who you are.You better change your moniker to BITTER STACLEBERG.You are bitter but nothing can change history.Nkrumah is the greatest African of all time.The same imperialists and neo-colonialsts,who removed him f ... read full comment
We all know who you are.You better change your moniker to BITTER STACLEBERG.You are bitter but nothing can change history.Nkrumah is the greatest African of all time.The same imperialists and neo-colonialsts,who removed him from the political scene are now saluting him.Kwame Nkrumah lives.
Kojo,I am humbled by your wisdom and I have taken food for thought in the biblical stance "no prophet is accepted in his own country".It an undeniable fact that Nkrumah lived severl years ahead of his time.Even his arch enem ...
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It is an undeniable fact that Nkrumah lived several years ahead of his time.
Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah would have succeeded but for the then Asantehene, NLM (Mate), the Abuakwas (JB Danquah) encouraged by the Colonialists and stoogists in independent African States.
Ghana in particular is paying t ...
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If Kwame Nkrumah was not removed, he would have found antidote for death itself. I wonder why he did not see his own doom before leaving for Hanoi, Vietnam.
Sarpong, you never speak sense and that baffles me. You are a waste in society
If Nkrumah was an Ashanti he would have been Mr. Sarpong's hero. No wonder he's been battling with his co-tribalist Okoame Ahoofe over Nana Addo (Akyem) versus Kyeremanteng (Ashanti).
Hey Sarpong! If you can't beat Nkrumah's admirers,join them.Don't be ashamed to praise Africa's political genius and visionary,the great Nkrumah.Don't pretend you don't appreciate Nkrumah's achievements.I thought you were ver ...
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Is this jealousy or tribal hatred ?Nkrumah's achievements are self-evident.SARPONG is the only stranger in Jerusalem.
If you have a beaucoup of money as Nkrumah was given, any fool would have done what Nkrumah did but what did he do when he ran through the money he inherited? He was clueless like Mahama and went back to the colonial masters ...
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Why are you guys all tripping? Nkrumah was so 'great' he could have done anything, is that not what you guys want us to believe?
Nkrumah would have found cure for everything. The Author said if Nkrumah was not removed, eve ...
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Nkrumah this, Nkrumah that, Nkrumah will have found a cure for AIDS
Haba!!!
The people that you mentioned were not instrumental in the fall of Nkrumah. rather, it was the USA and its CIA during a cold war era hell bent on ensuring that Africa did not tilt to the East. America brought down Nkrumah. Th ...
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what a fool you are(nobody). What do you mean by "minor role"? who took the gun to stage the coup and who went to the broadcasting corp to announce the coup? who dismantled all that had been done? and who formed the next gove ...
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Everything Nkrumah said we should do to be free was rejected and now fifty years on, other people are forcing us at every conference to unify and trade within ourselves and it seems we gonna do it but not for us but for them. ...
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Yes, others people see their huge profit in our forced and coerced unity.
If we could have seen it and feel it as Nkrumah did, we wouldn't wait for no one to tell us. Strategically, no one would have even knew it and by the ...
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Brightest and innovative of all? Are you kidding? Where is the evidence of African brightness and innovation?
If you can not be the brightest the you can let others determine your destiny.
Africans did it before without Europe and can do it again just go learn the true Africa history, and not his-story.
You are one of those cuckoos
AFRICAN BRIGHTNESS AND INNOVATION
IS MANIFEST ALL OVER THE WORLD AS SUCH, IT IS DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY AND TO BE OBSERVED. WE IN AFRICA DO NOT NEED TO INVENT THE WHEEL. LONG AGO, WE WERE PART OF THE INVENTION. ONLY ALONG THE ...
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Ghana has every right to succeed without our continental unity. Had it not been the crass incompetent and mediocre politics we indulge ourselves in. We have people made ministers of state not because they have the know how or ...
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Mr Figure-Out, you write nonsense. No where in this world has a party come to power without giving ministerial appointments to its supporters or those that helped the party to come power.
Tony Blair made John Prescott hi ...
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Do you have the brains to discern what is nonsense? The NDC has more competent people than this clueless crew we have in Mahamas administration. How experience is Mahama Ayariga to be a minister when Bagbin, Nana Ato Dadze, ...
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I always say the African man's only ally in this world is his fellow African.
The sooner we realize this the better.
Puppet regimes all around Africa especially in Ghana,how do we even start to initiate the process of unifi ...
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I'm sure you reside in the US where unity has transformed it into the most powerful country in the world i.e. economically, politically and militarily. A prosperous Ghana can't afford to be surrounded by poor neighbors. Moreo ...
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Ghana's neighbors are far from being poor.Please get your facts right.Those neighboring countries you refer to as poor have more mineral and oil deposits than many European countries.From Nigeria's oil to Ivory Coast's untapp ...
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Most countries depend on puppets because over these many years of independence, we have not had the common sense as a continent to develop any industries to undertake these projects that only the so called puppets can do. Who ...
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Kwasi,my stepson, I am not against the idea of continental Africa Unity but i simply cannot see it happening in the offing. American one could not have been more challenging than the one confronting Africa. In the case of USA ...
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There is no correlation between creating more regions in Ghana,for effective adminstrative purposes and continental government for Africa? Why do you think the state of Carolina in U.S. was divided into North Carolina and Sou ...
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Carolina was not divided into two for administrative purposes or too big to be governed as one state population or landwise or Texas, California or Alaska would have been divided too.
Carolina colonists were fighting over ...
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You don't know what you have until it's gone.
EPA GMO and gay ism are ready to be signed by the hopeless crooks in parliament from both Ndc and Npp. State industries are either collapsed or sold to foreigners,Private Ghanaia ...
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Too idealistic. Nkrumah had his head in the clouds.
Those who do not appreciate Nkrumah's vision are rather short-sighted.
Nkrumah's vision started to be a mirage starting in 1964 when the economy started collapsing and Ghanaians started queuing for essential commodities like soap and milk, something that never happened during the years of coloni ...
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Too idealistic.....That is what people said about Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Nicola Tesla.It would have been too idealistic and unthinkable in 1960 to think of Obama becoming the president of USA.Kofi Annan, becoming the he ...
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When the white man is holding your dick so that you will "pee" when he squeeze it, you will do the right thing.
Of all the black people you mentioned, which one is/was African?
Tell me any black African leader who has ...
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1970 born SARPONG,to answer your question,the only black African leader who has done something to transform his country is KWAME NKRUMAH.I am surprised you don't know this.I think your age is a setback.You need to do lot of ...
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If you give me a load of money, I can do a lot of projects and a lot of people can do the same. Nkrumah had a lot of money he had from the colonial masters to do a lot of projects from 1957-1963.
We should look at Nkrumah ...
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You could not even get the amount of money left by the British right in one of your numerous articles.You exaggerated it to a mind boggling 20 billion nonsense in 2014 money.You can hate Nkrumah as much as you like.On the plu ...
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Ghanaba, Nkrumah was so secretive that nobody can even point the actual figure he got from the British. It has been speculated as low as 70 million pounds and as high as 400 million pounds which can be as much as 20 billion d ...
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Felix Boigny ruled Ivory coast as President for 33yrs as a one party state and president for life.I know Ivory Coast like the back of my hand.From Abengourou to Bouake.The British do have records.You can check a lot of facts ...
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"if you give me a load of money,I can do a lot of projects and a lot of people can do the same.Nkrumah had a lot of money he from had from the colonial masters to do a lot of projects from 1957-1963."
Your statement really ...
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Mr Owusu Ansah, why is the statement shallow and naïve? If I give you ten million dollars now can't you embark on some developmental projects? As far as how much Nkrumah was given upon assuming the leadership of this country ...
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Actually, the money the CPP "inherited" upon independence is no secret. If my memory serves me well (trying to remember from the '70s) , it was just about £240m. And the truth is that the CPP regime actually saved that mone ...
read full comment
Suck a fart out of my rectum. I am glad Nkrumah the bitch was chased out!
Ian Kharma has done well for his people.Your contempt for Nkrumah is well known.Thanks
Sorry, I don't have any contempt for Nkrumah. I have praised the man for his selfless devotion to Ghana and uncorruptible history. His flaw was that, he saw himself as the only person with all the solutions for the country an ...
read full comment
I'm compelled to think some of us that call ourselves "Akans", want to rewrite Ghana's history to suit our narratives of what our grand fathers(Busia Danquah tradition)told us. We do not want to be objective on the facts. All ...
read full comment
THANK GOD I AM A NATIVE GHANAIAN AND PROUD PERIOD
OUR LAND PERIOD. NATIVE GHANAIAN
No black african should ever think of, African unity that would include the arabes. its just a mockery.
Thank you very much Mr. Tamakloe for this interesting and historical abstract. Nkrumah's rationales back in the early sixties still holds in this present day. I pray to God for his plan's implementation some day, before the r ...
read full comment
Kojo and all such as you, Nkrumah pointed out the innumerable merits of African unity and the way to achieve that unity.All of us have been mesmerized by the man's political genius and courage.Enough of the talking, lets grab ...
read full comment
He bankrupt Ghana, tortured people. This man was a dictator, he did not want his own people to be free. He was a traitor, he said black man should handle their own affairs. But he is the same person who ran to the white man f ...
read full comment
Anyone on this thread praising Kwame Nkrumah is an idiot!!
If you think he was that good for us; the CPP is trying to revive his ideas.
Why in the hell are you all not supporting the CPP so we can rebuild Ghana!!
You ...
read full comment
All Nkrumah's enemies some of whom were not even born during his rule,must read his speeches and his books,and take a deep breath.They will really appreciate the wisdom of this political genius and visionary,and preach his m ...
read full comment
We all know who you are.You better change your moniker to BITTER STACLEBERG.You are bitter but nothing can change history.Nkrumah is the greatest African of all time.The same imperialists and neo-colonialsts,who removed him f ...
read full comment