By Nelson Ayivor
As part of efforts to preserve the Pan-African legacy of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the government of Ghana has embarked on official negotiations with the government of Guinea.
According to Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the move aims to restore the site where Nkrumah served as Co-President of Guinea following the 1966 coup in Ghana.
The property is expected to undergo full renovation and preservation, demonstrating profound respect for the late leader and creating a comprehensive experience for historians and tourists.
By restoring the Guinea home, the government seeks to bridge the gap in Nkrumah’s life narrative, enabling visitors to trace his journey from his leadership in Accra to his final years of intellectual and political work in Conakry.
The formal intention was conveyed to the family of the late Guinean President Ahmed Sékou Touré during a high-level visit led by Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, who was accompanied by Minister Ablakwa. The delegation was received by three generations of the Sékou Touré family and toured the now-abandoned home where Nkrumah spent his final years of active work.
“On the instructions of President John Mahama, we have initiated negotiations with the Sékou Touré family of Guinea to allow Ghana take possession of the house Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah lived and worked as Co-President of Guinea in his last years,” Minister Ablakwa wrote on Facebook.
The Mahama Administration intends to renovate and preserve Nkrumah’s Guinea residence not only as an act of respect but also to preserve the Osagyefo’s legacy and create a full experience for tourists to follow Nkrumah’s outstanding life from Ghana to Guinea.
This landmark decision was conveyed to the Sékou Touré family on Saturday when Vice President, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang led a delegation to visit the Sékou Touré family and also tour Nkrumah’s abandoned home after the investiture of President Mamady Doumbouya.
Ghana’s delegation was well-received by three generations of the Sékou Touré family led by his eldest son.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is negotiating the terms and conditions and engaging preservation experts for this important assignment. “In the spirit of transparency and accountability, the Ghanaian public shall be fully appraised at every stage,” stated Minister Ablakwa.
Nkrumah never dies.
