Nkrumah's Family Want Houses Back

Family members of the country�s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, are demanding the deconfiscation of their family houses seized after the 1966 coup. Inhabitants of his birthplace are also hopeful and appeal to the authorities that as part of the centenary celebration, the town be given the needed attention to ensure that at least a secondary school and other social amenities are provided in the memory of the late president. The family head, Adzobea Kpenyile, told the Daily Graphic that their two family houses at Nsuayem and Nkroful had not been released to them for use by members, some of whom lacked accommodation. At Nsuayem, he said the officials of the Ghana Police Service were currently occupying the said building and the one at Nkroful was being used as a museum. He also appealed to the government to rehabilitate other family structures which identified with the personality of Nkrumah. dzobea Kpenyile said as a result of the confiscation of the property, the family was constrained with space at the present family house as the size of the family kept increasing. The head of Dr Nkrumah�s family said the members were not against the use of the two houses by the state, but it would be more acceptable if they were provided with another place to live. At the moment, our family tree has increased without the corresponding increase in the number of houses or residential facilities and we are finding it difficult to cope,� he said. Adzobea Kpenyile also suggested that the facilities be returned to the members of the family rehabilitated. �I trust that, the President, Prof. John Evans Atta Mills, would help restore the dignity of Nkrumah and give the needed attention to our request,� he stressed. e, however, commended the government for the recognition accorded their son who was the first President of Ghana and predicted a memorable centenary celebration. Meanwhile some residents of the town said they were humbled by the move by the President to honour the memory of the First President and its acceptance by other African leaders at the last African Union (AU) Summit in Libya. The residents led the graphic reporter to the graveside, where they showed him the last words of Dr Nkrumah, which stated, �As far as I am concerned, I am in the knowledge that death can never extinguish the touch which I have lit in Ghana and Africa. Long after I am dead and gone, the light will continue to burn and be borne aloft given light and guidance to all.� o them the expression on the face of visitors to the graveside after reading these words was an indication that those visitors would visit Nkroful again.