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Politics of Wednesday, 7 August 2019

Source: peacefmonline.com

Cancel August 4 Founders’ Day holiday in your homes - John Boadu tells NDC

NPP General Secretary, John Boadu NPP General Secretary, John Boadu

General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), John Boadu has slammed the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for its decision to expunge August 4 from the statute books as a public holiday as soon as it assumes the reign of government in January 2021.

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP) have kicked against the celebration of August 4 as Founders’ Day.

For the NDC it has assured Ghanaians that August 4 will be expunged from the statute books as a public holiday as soon as it assumes the reins of government in January 2021.

The NDC statement, which was signed by its Director of Communications, Kakra Essamuah, said it was unfortunate that “the government had legislated into law, the commemoration and celebration of August 4 as a holiday to be called the Founders' Day, replacing the Founder's Day that was celebrated in honor of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the architect of Ghana's independence.”

For the NDC, the only reason advanced for the change as contained in the new law passed by the New Patriotic Party (NPP)-dominated Parliament of Ghana was that it was on August 4, 1947, that the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was set up as a political party but “the reason behind the August 4 commemoration is that President Akufo-Addo wants Ghanaians to remember the formation of UGCC because his grand-uncle, Dr J. B. Danquah, his uncle, Mr William Ofori-Atta, and his father, Mr Edward Akufo-Addo, were foundation members.”

But according to the NPP Chief Scribe, it should not take only elections for the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to contribute to the nation; stressing that the intention of the NDC will not materialize as Ghanaians will not give the main opposition their mandate.

“Then we will not vote for the NDC to come into power if their intention is to avert the Founders’ day from August 4 to any other month. I believe that when we talk of contribution to a nation, it is not only about elections,” he stated.

Speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show, John Boadu maintained that the decision of the NDC does not come as a surprise as it is part of their agenda to even expunge the Free Senior High School (SHS) Policy.

“As for the NDC, they said when they come to power they will cancel free SHS . . . This is not news because we know that these are some of the things they will do when they come to power, but by God’s grace, Ghanaians will not vote for the NDC. If they want to cancel the August 4 as Founders’ Day, they should cancel it in their homes,” he jabbed.

Delving a bit into the history of the UGCC, John Boadu said the leaders of the party recommended Dr Kwame Nkrumah to join the party due to the works he was doing outside the country with his movement.

“They thought he [Kwame Nkrumah] could help the party [UGCC] back home and so they made him full-time General Secretary of the UGCC. If not the UGCC, perhaps he would not have come home to do politics because he was pursuing his PhD. abroad and maybe he would not have come home,” he asserted.