News
Ghana observes Founders’ Day
The list of men and women who fought tooth and nail to secure for Ghana the title of independence is not exhaustive. They included market women, ordinary people and businessmen like Paa Grant.
However, when the independence of Ghana is mentioned, six outstanding men come into sharp focus as having held the baton and took the freedom of Ghana to the finish line but others too in small or significant ways were part of the “freedom fight” and indeed deserve celebration.
The 4th of August; Founder’s Day since 2019 has become a day designated for such august memorial for our forefathers, especially the Big Six who were also the founding members of the first political party, the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) in Ghana, then Gold Coast; namely Ebenezer Ako-Adjei –founding member of UGCC, Edward Akufo-Addo – founding member of the UGCC and subsequently Chief Justice of Ghana and President of Ghana, Joseph Boakye Danquah – founding member of the UGCC, Kwame Nkrumah – Prime Minister of Ghana and first president of Ghana, Emmanuel Obetsebi-Lamptey, founding member of the UGCC and William Ofori Atta – founding member of the UGCC.
In a recent lecture to commemorate the day in Accra, the Speaker of Parliament Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye noted that, “A recap of the chronology of events showed that before the arrival of Nkrumah, some gallant men were taking steps to lead Ghana to independence. If something had not been founded, what was Nkrumah brought down for? If there was nothing, what was he to come and help to consolidate?”
According to him, “Nkrumah did not alone compose the classical sonata and constitute the orchestra which sang Ghana’s clarion call to independence in sweet melody, all in two months! The fathers of the nation were there already. They included Paa Grant, J.B. Danquah, Akufo-Addo, Ako Adjei, Obetsebi Lamptey and William Ofori-Atta.”
There has been a debate however, over whether or not Nkrumah should be credited with founding Ghana or not. The debate, is mostly between the Nkrumahist and the Danquah-Busia political traditions.
The debate stems from the March 2019 public holiday amendments HYPERLINK “https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_(law)” bill which was proposed by the President, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo and subsequently passed into HYPERLINK “https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law” \o “Law” law that 4th August be designated as Founders’ Day to recognise all other contributors in the independence struggle whilst 21st September (previously Founder’s Day) as Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day. The Founders’ Day is reserved to celebrate the people( HYPERLINK “https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Six_(Ghana)” \o “The Big Six (Ghana)” The Big Six) who led Ghana to independence whilst Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day is reserved for Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the leader of the movement towards independence of Ghana to commemorate his birthday, the bill explained.
By Spectator Reporter
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EC to conduct elections in selected polling stations at Ablekuma North
As part of its commitment to resolve the impass egarding he Ablekuma North Constituency Parliamentary Election, the Electoral Commission(EC) yesterday, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, met with the representatives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The meeting, which was a follow-up to an earlier meeting held on Thursday, June 12, 2025, provided both parties the opportunity to brief the commission on any new
developments regarding the said constituency.
The parties informed the Commission that their positions put forward at the last mecting remained unchanged.
The NDC held the view that the election should be rerun thirty -seven
(37) Polling Stations because scanned Pink Sheets from 37 Polling Stations which were used to
collate the results, were provided the NPP.
The NPP was of the view that the results from three (3) outstanding Poling Stations be collated and a winner declared since the NDC Agents had verified and confirmed
the scanned Poling Station results they presented.
According to the EC, it is important for the public to understand that the issue in contention has to do with
the fact that 37 Pink Sheets provided by the NPP and used to colate the results were scanned copies.
“The Public may recall that Political Party supporters besieged our Collation Centre and
destroyed a number of the Pink Sheets for the Ablekuma North Parliamentary Elcction during the collation of results following the December 7 Gencral Election,” the EC added.
After extensive deliberations, the Commission informed the Political Parties that it would
proceed to rerun the election in 19
of the 37 Polling Stations.
The Commission arrived at the decision to rerun the election in the underlisted Polling Stations because, the scanned Polling Station resuits used for the collation, though approved by Agents of both political Parties, were not verified by the Presiding Officers responsible for the Polling
Stations.
According to the EC, it is instructive to note that the Commission was able to secure the Presiding Officers
verification and confirmation for 18 scanned Polling Station results-
Agents of both parties also approved same.
The election will be held on Friday, July 11, 2025
The Commission has further urged the Ghana Police Service to provide the needed security to ensure a safe environment for the conduct of the election.
News
The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Addresses Parliament.
The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emelia Arthur has disclosed that in 2021, Ghana was issued a yellow card by the European Union after being identified as a non-compliant third country in the fight against illegal fishing activities.
According to the Minister, the government, through the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, has engaged the European Union(EU) through the Ghana European Union dialogue, to address the concerns raised by the European Union(EU).
The engagement included the implementation of an action plan, periodic update report and validation exercises.
“We are happy to report that Ghana has made significant progress in resolving key concerns, primarily related to lapses in the regulatory framework, fisheries enforcement, and traceability,” she stated.
Also, she emphasized that a review of pending actions indicates that the enactment of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Bill, along with its accompanying regulations, remains critical to enhancing fisheries governance in Ghana.
She further informed the House that the Ministry has already submitted the Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Bill, 2025, to the House.
The bill was later referred to the Parliamentary Select Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Cocoa Affairs for consideration.
The Minister made this statement in response to a question posed by Member of Parliament for Atwima Mponua, Seth Osei-Akoto, regarding the immediate measures the ministry is implementing to sanitize Ghana’s fishing sector in the light of the European Union’s warning that Ghana could face a potential red card.
