My father’s ideals best for Africa – Samia

Samia Yaba Nkruma, daughter of Ghana’s first President believes there must be a paradigm shift in governments’ policy orientation across Africa if the continent will achieve the dreams of its founders.
She said the dream of her father which can be described as “Nkrumaism’ envisaged a united continent consisting of self-sufficient industrialised African nations that are capable of providing for the basic necessities to all her citizens.

Speaking on Inside Afrika - a Pan-African Development program - on Accra-based Radio Univers ahead of Founders Day on September 21, Samia Nkrumah said Ghana is still capable of realising the dreams of her father, but noted it will require a radical shift from the economic policies that have been pursued by governments since the 1980s.

“The thrust of Nkrumah’s economic policy was to make Ghana productive and increase the countries manufacturing capacity because that is the only way jobs can be provided to the majority of the people,” she said.

According to Samia, the socio-economic situation of Ghanaians could worsen if immediate steps are not taken to shift the country from excessive dependency on outside aid and assistance which several empirical studies indicate does not lead to improved living conditions of citizens.

On the relevance of Nkrumah’s ideas for the development of contemporary Africa, Samia, who is also the National Chairperson of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) said Nkrumaism is even more relevant today because despite several years after independence Ghana is still producing very little.

Commenting on the recent debate over the Founder of Ghana, Ms Nkrumah said it was only a diversionary tactic designed to distract the country from focusing on pertinent issues affecting the majority of the citizens.

She explained that “it goes without saying that Kwame Nkrumah is the founder of modern Ghana”. According to Samia, her father acknowledged that there were others before him and others after him but there is no question that Osagefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah stood tall among the many great men who fought for Ghana independence.

She conclude that although, attempts have been made by Dr. Nkrumah’s political opponents to discredit him, he is still loved and cherished in many countries across the African continent because his ideas for equality and the restoration of the dignity of Black African people is a timeless message that transcends borders.

Meanwhile, earlier on Inside Afrika, the South African High Commissioner to Ghana, Jeanette Ndhlovu, described Nkrumah as a role model for Africa.

According to Ms Ndlovu, South Africans have always been motivated by the ideals that Dr. Kwame Nkrumah preached for the African continent.