September 24, 2025, On the 116th birthday of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the Coalition of Concerned Nzema People (CCNP) urged the nation to move beyond speeches and ceremonies and act.
While commending the organizers of this year’s events especially Honourable Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah (MP for Ellembelle and Minister for Lands) and the Minister for Tourism the group said Nkrumah’s legacy is being undermined by neglect of the places that shaped him.
From Half Assini, the CCNP President called the condition of Nkrumah’s ancestral homes at Nkroful, Teleku Bokazo, and Half Assini “a national issue of heritage, justice, and respect for our history.” The most painful symbol, they said, is Madam Nyaneba’s house in Nkroful the home of Nkrumah’s mother and a resting place for his mortal remains which is now near collapse.
Despite Nzema hosting much of Ghana’s oil and gas wealth, the coalition pointed to a persistent paradox: underdeveloped communities and degraded rivers, forests, and coastlines.
To change course, CCNP unveiled a National Policy Memorandum: The Nkrumah Legacy and Nzema Development Agenda, centered on four actions:
- Heritage Preservation: Immediately rehabilitate Nkrumah’s family homes and formally recognize the Nvavile family as custodians.
- Resource Justice: Dedicate 10% of oil, gas, and mineral revenues directly to Nzema development in infrastructure, education, health, and environmental protection.
- Nkrumah Trust Fund: Establish a transparent, ring-fenced fund for heritage restoration, community development, and sustainability projects.
- Custodianship Education Fund: Provide sustained financial support for Nkrumah’s maternal family to safeguard these sites and their story.
“This is not charity. It is justice. It is a constitutional duty under Article 36 on equitable resource distribution and Article 39 on cultural heritage protection,” the CCNP President said.
The coalition also called for similar honors to other national figures Paa Grant, Dr. Hilla Limann, and former Presidents to build a broader culture of remembrance.
Finally, the CCNP appealed to President John Dramani Mahama and Parliament to embed these proposals in constitutional and statutory reforms:
“Let Nkrumah’s 116th birthday be remembered not only as a celebration but as the moment Ghana turned remembrance into action, heritage into development, and vision into justice.”
By Nzematoday TV
