The Anti-Nkrumahism at the Roots of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the National Patriotic Party (NPP)
Lifelong campaigner, educationalist, and leading advocate of the Pro-Nkrumah Unity Movement, and co-initiator of the Ghana In Planet Repairs Action Dialogue (GIPRAD) Br. Explo Nani-Kofi here shares his thoughts on the Anti-Nkrumahism at the roots of the two party political system in Ghana.
This educational talk continues dialogue on the cognitive injustice and legacies of the overthrow of Ghana’s Independence Leader Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah and explores how the attempts at the removal of his legacies, work, and thought have allowed for the collapse, and further colonisation of the country.
Ghana will hold hotly contested elections this year set for 7 December 2024.
The leader of the party in power, National Patriotic Party (NPP), has stated publicly that he will peacefully step down. Recent mass protests this October have shutdown parts of the country, decrying the state of corruption and environmental degradation caused by mining and artesenal mining activities. The gold-rich country, first termed the «Gold Coast» when a British direct Colony, continues to be subject to global interests in extractivism, sustaining multiple parallel ecocidal economies. The pollution from these mining activities has destroyed many of the major water bodies in the country, contaminating drinking water and leading to mass health pandemics in Gold mining regions and downstream settlements.
It is estimated in some reports that Ghana will be forced to import drinking water by 2030.*
Many of the attempts at community and state owned companies in key areas such as water, fruit and vegetables production, energy, and healthcare made during the early independence phase of Ghana’s history, during the Nkrumah Government, have since been rolled back and privatized under the pressure of neocolonial and neoliberal attacks.
The recent Nationwide shutdown on the 30 September due to mass civil society mobilisation have shown an increased return of grassroots demands for an alternative path of development. Escalations about the ‘Galamsey’ ([artesanal] mining) crisis and pollution of water bodies have also continued throughout October, becoming a central election issue.
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2023, saw an online forum of researchers, activists, and communities, meet for the inaugural Ghana In Planet Repairs Action Dialogue, to strengthen collaborations and build understanding about the situation in the country relevant to actions supporting communities.
More information on the GIPRAD programme – click here
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The fight against mining and environmental harm highlights the increasing dangers in the country. «Operation Halt» has also been called by the Ghana Government to increase military presence to rivers and areas of high mining activity. The general security situation in the country continues to face rising tension, with growing calls of militarisation taking place with increased mobilisation of communities against the environmental damage, political deadlock, and increased controversy of electoral and other corruption.
The Planet Repairs Internationalist Observatory will continue to follow and highlight efforts made in the area of reparatory justice, environmental justice, and cognitive justice.
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