Nkrumah�s B�day Must Not Be An Annual Statutory...

An NPP activist and a member of the Nana Addo Campaign Team for Election 2008, Nana Fredua Agyeman, has kicked against observing Dr. Kwame Nkrumah�s birthday, as an annual statutory public holiday. He however, believes it is �okay� if a statutory holiday is observed for the purposes of marking the centenary of Dr. Nkrumah�s birthday this year. President Mills on Thursday, September 3rd, declared September 21st, a statutory public holiday in Ghana, to immortalize the country�s founder, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, whose birthday falls on that day. Exercising the powers conferred on him by the 1992 Constitution, the President, made the declaration under Executive Instrument (EI), to take effect this year, which marks the centenary of Dr. Nkrumah�s birthday. Nana Fredua Agyeman, who is also the Asomkwaahene of the Kyebi Traditional Area, admitted that �the number of holidays in the country, lowers productivity�, but conversely stressed that �the celebration of Nkrumah�s birthday as a national holiday for only this year would help propel the nation forward�. Nana Fredua, who asked that the day be used in burying historical animosities, also suggested that other noble statesman and their land mark contributions made in the attainment of independence, be given equal recognition. �After that it must be marked on our calendar that this is Nkrumah�s birthday. It�s not just for the CPP to observe. It�s about time Ghanaians think in that direction�Dr Nkrumah, Dr. Danquah, Paa Grant, the Big Six, all those who matter in Ghanaian politics be marked in the calendar. We must remember these people beyond their partisan positions�the good things they did, let�s cherish them and improve on them and whatever they did wrong, let�s correct it and move on,� he said.