Bagbin Spurs Historical Debate Over UP Tradition's Opposition To Independence

The opposition National Democratic Congress has sought to borrow a limb from history to adduce credence to its qualms about what the party describes as the ruling New Patriotic Party's (NPP) appalling manner of handling Ghana's 50th Anniversary celebrations.



Minority Leader, Alban Bagbin, says it is unfortunate that a party of the UP (United Party)Tradition such as the NPP, which in his words, opposed the independence of Ghana, is the Government at the helm of national affairs at a time of the country's golden jubilee independence anniversary.

Hon. Bagbin in an interview with Ghananewstoday said that it is historically unpardonable for the ruling NPP to be leading Ghana's golden jubilee celebration of independence, since its tradition rather sought to thwart the fight for freedom from the colonial British.

He said it is even deplorable that a tradition which sought to sabotage attempts by freedom fighters such as Dr Kwame Nkrumah is rather sidelining the various opposition parties from the celebrations, especially the Convention People's Party (CPP), on whose wings independence was won.

Hon. Alban Bagbin also told Ghananewstoday that President Kufuor could have postponed his State of the Nation address, if he had the unity and political cohesiveness of the nation at heart.

He said there was no urgency for the President's State of the Nation address to have been delivered to a lopsided Parliament.

Meanwhile, the ruling party has in a quick rebuttal, expressed its utter disgust at the Hon. Minority Leader's remarks.

Government Spokesperson on Governance, Mr Frank Agyekum, told Ghananewstoday that Hon. Alban Bagbin's comments are calculated to blatantly distort history in the face of a very significant national event such as the commemoration of Ghana's 50 years of independence.

Mr Agyekum said contrary to Hon. Bagbin's historical distortions, the UP Tradition strongly gave its blessings to Ghana's independence.