Ghana would have chalked more progress if Nkrumah’s vision had been pursued – Prof Ayensu

The socio- economic growth of Ghana would have been far more advanced, if Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s vision for the country had been vigorously pursued after his leadership tenure.

This is because Dr Nkrumah believed in development through knowledge based application.

Prof Edward Solomon Ayensu, an International Development Advisor on Science, Technology and Economic Development, said this in Accra when he spoke on the topic, “Kwame Nkrumah : The Man and His Legacy”, at the 2017 Founder’s Week Celebrations.

The event was organised by the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Prof Ayensu described Dr Nkrumah as an African leader, who decided decades ahead of his colleagues, that without science and technology, Africa would lag behind the rest of the world in development.

He said because Dr Nkrumah Ghana could not achieve economic freedom without industrialisation and advanced technology, he pursued a path of rapid industrialization, which saw projects such as the Volta River Authority being established.

Prof Ayensu said it was unfortunate that “we did not exploit the good that Dr Nkrumah had to offer”.

He said Dr Nkrumah’s belief in women as key players in nation building, his belief in education, his focus on science, technology and industrial growth, threw great light on his vision for Ghana.

“I hope the academy would continue to make presentations about all our founding fathers, who have made contributions to the building of Ghana,” Prof Ayensu said.

The Founder’s Week Celebration of the Academy started in November 1960, and is the oldest of its traditions.

The Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences is Ghana’s Premier Learned Society.

It was founded in November 1959 by Government Instrument of Incorporation.

Source: GNA