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REFLECTING ON 24TH FEBRUARY: A MARK FOR THE POST INDEPENDENCE DEMOCRACY OF GHANA
Ghanaians have been urged to reflect on the events that precipitated the 1966 coup d’tat that led to the overthrow of the first President of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and guard against same of the fourth republic.
Participating in a panel discussion organised by the Policy Think Tank, Danquah Institute, all three members of the panel agreed that military takeovers in all its forms and shape were major contributory factor to the country’s underdevelopment.
The dialogue held via zoom on Thursday, February 23, was under the theme “Reflecting on 24th February and the Post Independence Democracy of Ghana”.
Among the panelists were Dr. Alidu, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako and Mr. Afari Boadu gave views on the events leading to the coup and provided constructive views on the post 1966 period and the growth in our democracy.
Delivering her welcome address, the Executive Director of the Institute, Mrs Antoinette Tsibu-Darko said it was important for Ghanaians to use such reflective moments in history to contribute to building our democracy.
She said as a country, it was important that such reflective moments guided how we behaved going forward into our democracy.
A Research Fellow of the Institute and Dean of the Ghana Institute of Management and Pubic Administration (GIMPA) law school, Dr Kwaku Agyemang-Budu in the opening statement said the reflective dialogue should not be seen as celebration or commemoration of the 24th February 1966 coup d’tat.shared that:
He said to do so would be an affront to the letter and spirit of our 1992 Fourth Republican Constitution, which abhors coups d’etat, as affirmed by the Supreme Court in the case of NPP v. Attorney General.”
Dr Agyemang-Budu explained that the dialogue was to look at the lessons learnt from the spates of coups d’état and other incidents that had been an interference in Ghana’s constitutional order.
On his part, Dr Alidu, who is also a senior lecturer of Political Science at the University of Ghana, noted that while the coup d’tats were unfortunate, there were a number of issues that often created room for it to happen.
However, he said despite the reasons given to justify such occurrences, evidence had proven that military regimes often stifled development.
However, Mr. Kwadwo Afari while agreeing that coup d’tat in general were disruptive, stated that the coup that overthrew Kwame Nkrumah was.
“Was declaring Ghana a one party state necessary? No! The CPP had won almost all seats and therefore, it was purposeless for Nkrumah to declare a one party state. In an environment where there are no avenues to criticize or express views, there is the tendency for people to overthrow a regime” he stated.
Abdul Malik Kweku Baako whose views were not in consonance with the others said that the accusation that Nkrumah banned other political parties proved to be an unsustainable strategy as his accusers walked the same path after overthrowing Nkrumah.
“Towards the elections of the 2nd Republic, CPP elements were banned from contesting elections in Ghana. The Parliament of the 2nd Republic sat for 24 hours and passed legislation banning the CPP, a party that was national in character. What was the philosophy of that event? How different was that from what Nkrumah did?” he quizzed.
By Cliff Ekuful
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Manhyia would serve as Ghana’s unifying force …Otumfuo assures on commemoration of 27 years on the Golden Stool
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, last Friday celebrated his 27th enstoolment with a colourful and culture-rich ceremony at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, drawing a distinguished gathering of dignitaries from across Ghana and beyond.
Clad in splendid kente and adorned in rich traditional regalia, the dignitaries added colour and elegance to the occasion, as the palace grounds came alive with a vibrant display of Ghanaian culture.
Traditional drumming, dancing and symbolic rites underscored the deep-rooted heritage of the Ashanti Kingdom, captivating guests and reaffirming the value of tradition in modern society.
Speaking at a high-level Executive Gala organised by the Diaspora Affairs Office of the Office of the President in strategic partnership with the E ON 3 Group, the ‘World-Meets-in-Ghana’ gala, the Asantehene urged Ghanaians to guard against the divisive tendencies of partisan politics.
The event was to honour the Asantehene’s nearly three-decade reign under the theme ‘Advancing Peace and Sustainable Economic Development through Royal Vision’.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II noted that such attitudes threatened the country’s long-standing values of unity, civility and brotherliness.
He assured that Manhyia would continue to serve as a unifying force for the nation.
The celebration also featured the presentation of commemorative gold coins to notable national leaders, including the President, John Dramani Mahama, former Presidents John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as well as Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, a former Vice President in recognition of their contributions to peace and national development.
By Spectator Reporter
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Energy Minister announces full restoration of power generation units after major grid disruption
Energy Minister, John Jinapor has announced that all power generation units affected by the recent national grid disruption have been fully restored and are back in service.
According to the Minister on social media, engineers, technicians and emergency response teams worked continuously to restore electricity supply and stabilise the national grid after the incident caused major challenges within the power sector.
In a statement, the Minister praised the efforts of personnel from the Ghana Grid Company Limited, Volta River Authority and Electricity Company of Ghana for their commitment and coordination during the emergency.
“Mission accomplished. All generation units are now back in service,” the Minister stated.
He explained that despite the scale of the disruption, technical teams worked around the clock to restore power and secure stability within the system.
“Through their tireless work, discipline, and commitment to country, power has been restored and system stability secured,” he said.
The Minister further expressed appreciation to the leadership and staff of GRIDCo, VRA, ECG and other supporting agencies for their collective response to the crisis.
According to him, the successful restoration of the system demonstrates the resilience and capability of Ghanaian professionals in times of national difficulty.
“This moment shows that even under pressure, Ghana can rely on the strength and skill of its people,” he added.
The Minister offered prayers for the country’s energy sector and the engineers who led the restoration efforts.
“May God bless our engineers, our energy sector, and our nation,” he stated.
By: Jacob Aggrey
