Western Regional Communications Officer of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Richard Ernest Kirk-Mensah, has commended the Member of Parliament for Ellembelle and Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, for championing and institutionalising Nkrumafest and the Journey to Nkroful initiative.

Kirk-Mensah described the initiative as more than a festival, saying it represents an effort to reclaim Ghana’s history, identity and national memory while reconnecting younger generations with the legacy of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

According to him, Nkrumafest provides an opportunity for Ghanaians to celebrate Nkrumah’s vision, courage and Pan-African ideals, which he said contributed significantly to Ghana’s independence and inspired liberation movements across Africa.

He said the Journey to Nkroful was particularly significant because it takes the Nkrumah story back to his birthplace and creates a direct connection between Ghana’s younger generation and the historical, cultural and national heritage associated with the country’s first President.

Kirk-Mensah argued that Ghana must preserve an accurate account of its history and resist attempts to selectively reinterpret the contributions of individuals and movements that played important roles in the country’s independence struggle and subsequent development.

“History must not be rewritten to suit political convenience,” he said, stressing the need for future generations to understand where Ghana came from and the ideas and personalities that shaped the nation.

He therefore called on Parliament to give Nkrumafest appropriate statutory and national recognition and make it a permanent feature of Ghana’s national calendar.

Kirk-Mensah said such recognition should transcend changes in government, political parties and ideological differences because Ghana’s history and the legacy of Nkrumah belong to the entire nation. He further praised Buah for his efforts to preserve and promote the Nkrumah legacy, saying the initiative was helping a new generation reconnect with an important chapter of Ghana’s history.

“You are not merely celebrating a historical figure. You are helping a generation remember. And as long as Ghana remembers, Kwame Nkrumah never dies,” Kirk-Mensah said.

He concluded by describing Buah as “a true son of Osagyefo” and wished him God’s blessings for his efforts to keep the Nkrumah legacy alive.