As the commemoration of the 116th birthday celebration of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, first President and Prime Minister of Ghana draws near, his maternal hometown, Nkroful in the Ellembelle District, is being marked with activity and decorations to herald the celebration which falls on Sunday, September 21.
This year’s celebration is on the theme, ” Journey to Nkroful: Unite, Celebrate and Enjoy”.
President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana and President Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso are among special dignitaries to grace the occasion.
Mr John Kwaw Nketiah, Chairman of NKRUMAFEST Planning Committee, made this known in an interview at Nkroful, birth and burial place of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, first Prime Minister and President of the Republic of Ghana.
The week-long celebration which started on Saturday, September 13 with a communal labour to weed and clean up the roadsides from Esiama to Nkroful through to Teleku-Bokazo would be climaxed on Sunday, September 21, which has been declared as Founder’s Day and a national holiday.
As part of the celebration, a special thanksgiving service was held on Sunday, September 14, to thank God and commit the programme into his hands and care.
Other activities to commemorate the celebration include, ” local Artistes Night” with live musical performances by musicians in the Nzema area, football gala and a people assembly to offer communities the opportunity to ask questions on pertinent national issues for redress.
The week would be climaxed with a grand durbar on Sunday, September 21 with speeches, live musical performances and lighting of the perpetual flame at the Kwame Nkrumah mausoleum at Nkroful, the first burial site of Dr Nkrumah.
Mr Nketiah said through the efforts of Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Member of Parliament (MP) of Ellembelle, provision was made for street bulbs to be fixed on each light pole along the Esiama to Nkroful and Teleku-Bokazo stretch to beef up security at the night.
The Chairman said the road from Esiama leading to Nkroful was graded and put into good shape.
He said this year’s celebration would be ‘fantabulous’ with a monument to be erected at Nkroful in honour of Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Mr Nketiah lauded President John Dramani Mahama for reinstating the birthday of Dr Kwame Nkrumah as a national holiday and adopted it as a national festival of the Ghana Tourism Authority being the first President of Ghana.
” He is the President whose work is undoubtedly phenomenal, hence declaring his birthday a holiday, is in the right direction”.
GNA
