Accra, Aug 4, GNA- Following the enactment of the Public Holiday (Amendment) Act 2019, (Act 968) by Parliament in March 2019, August 4 has been designated as Founders’ Day to celebrate and recongnise individuals who contributed to Ghana’s independence struggle.
The commemoration, which is marked as a public holiday in Ghana, replaced Founder’s Day, which was formerly celebrated on September 21, as the birthday of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
The Founders’ Day was first celebrated in 2019 with a public lecture at the Academy of Arts and Sciences, which Professor Bondzie Sampson, the Rector of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) delivered the first lecture.
Although the celebration also recognises the many unsung heroes who played important roles in the journey towards independence, six forbearers, who have been touted as “The Big Six” are highlighted as the “face” of the struggle.
The six are: Dr Kwame Nkrumah, J.B. Danquah, Emmanuel Obstsebi-Lamptey, William Ofori-Atta, Edward Akufo-Addo, and Ako Adjei.
The proponents of the Founders’ Day believe that August 4 is the most appropriate because it marks two important events in Ghana’s history- the formation of the Aborigines’ Rights Protection Society by John Mensah in 1897 and the formation of the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) in 1947 by J. B. Danquah and George Alfred, also known as “Paa” Grant.
Activities for the day are also expected to encourage others to commit their lives to sacrifice for the nation.
President Nana Addo Dankwa-Akufo-Addo on Thursday morning posted a picture on his official Facebook page with the inscription: “Happy Founders’ Day.”
Many Ghanaians have since taken to social media to extend congratulatory messages to the country’s Founding Fathers.
Some political parties, including the Convention People’s Party (CPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have since the institution of the Founders’ Day in 2019 opposed the move, expressing concerns that the celebration could erode the recognition of Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s achievements as the first President of the country.