Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park Celebrates Reinstatement of Founder’s Day

The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park (KNMP) has lauded the government’s decision to restore September 21 as Founder’s Day, a national holiday honoring Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

This follows the passing of the National Holidays and Commemorative Days (Amendment) Bill, which formally reinstates the holiday on Nkrumah’s birthday—September 21—recognizing his pivotal role in Ghana’s fight for independence and nationhood.

The holiday had previously been shifted to August 4 by the Akufo-Addo administration in 2019, citing the contributions of other nationalists. However, on June 26, 2025, President John Dramani Mahama issued an Executive Instrument restoring the original date, aligning once again with the widely acknowledged legacy of Dr. Nkrumah.

In a press statement signed by Dr. Collins Rawlings Nunyonameh, Acting Executive Director of the KNMP, the decision was described as “a victory for truth and historical justice.” The statement emphasized that while others contributed to Ghana’s political journey, Nkrumah’s leadership remains unparalleled in the country's liberation and state-building process.

Quoting the late President Sékou Touré of Guinea, the release recalled his 1972 tribute: “Those who attempted to humiliate him only succeeded in glorifying him.”

The Memorial Park further urged Parliament and the Constitutional Review Committee to entrench the holiday in law to shield it from future political manipulation or historical distortion.

“We commend the government for this bold and principled decision,” the statement read. “It is a powerful step toward restoring national memory and affirming Dr. Nkrumah’s rightful place as the founding father of Ghana.”

The park also encouraged the public to visit the historical site in Accra to engage with the life and legacy of Dr. Nkrumah firsthand.