Following a recent report by Nzema Today TV, in which the maternal family of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah appealed to the government and the general public for support in renovating the dilapidated Nyaneba family house, the great-grandchildren of the former President are now calling for a more transparent and respectful handling of donations.
The family is urging President John Dramani Mahama and all well-meaning Ghanaians to ensure that contributions intended for the renovation of Nana Nyaneba’s house Dr. Nkrumah’s mother are made directly to the maternal family, rather than channeled through the Nkrumahfest Planning Committee, as has been the practice in recent years.
According to the family, this tradition of sidelining maternal relatives in critical decisions concerning the legacy of Dr. Nkrumah is unacceptable and must end.
Speaking from the historic family home in Nkroful, Madam Bernice Akuba Frimpong, spokesperson for the maternal family, emphasized that the great-grandchildren of Dr. Nkrumah will no longer allow themselves to be shortchanged by the planning committee. She pointed to past administrations, including those of President Dr. Hilla Limann and President John Agyekum Kufuor, who directly engaged the family before disbursing renovation funds a respectful approach that led to better results.
She lamented that, in contrast, recent funds allocated through the Nkrumahfest Planning Committee have not been used for their intended purposes, leaving the Nyaneba House in disrepair. The maternal family warns that if this issue is not addressed, they may withdraw entirely from this year’s Nkrumahfest celebrations, as the event has so far offered them little benefit.
This firm stance from the family follows the broader concerns raised in the earlier Nzema Today TV feature, which highlighted the poor state of the family home and the neglected tombs of Nana Nyaneba and Egya Arhizi, Dr. Nkrumah’s grandfather. The family believes the site has the potential to become a respected national heritage site and tourist attraction if given the needed attention and resources.
Stay tuned for more updates.
By Kodwo Nyamekeh
