CPP Calls for Renewal of Nkrumah’s Vision of Self-Reliance and Industrialisation
The CPP says Ghana can draw on Kwame Nkrumah’s ideas on economic independence, industrialisation and African unity to address current development challenges.
- CPP calls for renewed economic self-reliance.
- Party highlights Nkrumah’s industrialisation vision.
- Ghanaians urged to support local enterprise.
The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has called on Ghanaians to renew their focus on Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s vision of economic independence, industrialisation and African unity.
CPP General Secretary Harold Stephen Ato Eshun said persistent challenges such as unemployment, corruption, economic difficulties, inequality and abandoned projects should encourage the country to reassess how it manages its resources and shapes its economic future.
Speaking ahead of Dr Nkrumah’s 117th birthday on Monday, September 21, Mr Eshun said the occasion should be an opportunity not only to remember Ghana’s first President but also to consider how his ideas could address contemporary development challenges.
He said Nkrumah’s vision went beyond Ghana’s independence from colonial rule and included the broader political and economic emancipation of Africa.
Quoting Nkrumah, Mr Eshun said: “Our independence is meaningless unless linked up with the total liberation of Africa.”
According to him, Nkrumah believed African countries should have greater control over their resources and economic decisions while building economies driven by knowledge, industry and regional cooperation.
“Without economic independence, we as Africans remain vulnerable,” he said.
Nkrumah founded the CPP in 1949 after leaving the United Gold Coast Convention. The party adopted the slogan “Self-Government Now” and played a major role in the campaign for Ghana’s independence.
The CPP won the 1951 election, paving the way for Nkrumah to become Leader of Government Business and later Prime Minister before Ghana gained independence on March 6, 1957.
Mr Eshun said the CPP’s history should continue to inform national discussions about self-determination, development and the management of Ghana’s natural resources.
He also highlighted education as a key part of Nkrumah’s development agenda and said the country’s progress should be considered within the wider context of Africa’s development.
Mr Eshun encouraged young Ghanaians to pursue entrepreneurship and industrial development while using technology to improve areas such as education and healthcare.
He also urged journalists and creative professionals to promote Ghanaian stories internationally through journalism, music, film and the arts.
As Ghana prepares to mark Founder’s Day on September 21, Mr Eshun said the occasion should encourage citizens to reflect on Nkrumah’s vision, his legacy and how future generations can build on it.
