THE Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, which houses the personal properties of the country’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, is said to be in need of major repair works.
According to the Director of the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, Mr Kwaku Manu-Asiamah, the ceiling of the museum where the former President’s personal items are kept has developed cracks putting the items there at risk.
Some of the items that stand the risk of being destroyed in the event of a downpour are the Presidential Desk used by the former President at the Flag Staff House, a dressing mirror he used at Lincoln University, collections of his photographs with other prominent world leaders, copies of his books, a stool and walking sticks.
Mr Manu-Asiamah, who raised the issues in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Accra, said the park was poorly resourced and apart from the cracks in the ceiling of the museum, funds were needed to carry out major maintenance works to beautify the place for the forthcoming Independence Day celebration and the centenary celebration of Dr Nkrumah’s birth, which falls on September 21, this year.
He lamented that the park had not undergone any major renovation since its was officially opened on July 1, 1992.
"The panelling in the museum leaks when it rains, it is outmoded and we hope government would assist us to put in place proper roofing to ensure safety of the items," he stated, and pointed out that the floor of the museum had also developed cracks, which had been covered with a carpet in order not to expose them.
Other major maintenance works, he noted, included the rehabilitation of old electrical systems at the park, provision of boreholes to serve as sources of water for the park, which basically runs on water for recreation, and the training of curators, publicity and adverts to rekindle public interest in the park.
At the mausoleum also are the remains of the late President and his wife, Fathia Nkrumah.
"The management is also handicapped because we do not have even one vehicle to run errands for maintenance," he stated, and indicated that the park, one of the first port of call for most foreign visitors, received an annual average of 60,000 visitors and that the number could increase with better publicity.
Mr Quao announced that under the auspices of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture, the management and staff of the Memorial Park would organise a public lecture on March 4, 2009 at the Arts Centre in Accra as part of the awareness creation.
He said the lecture, under the chairmanship of Mr K. B Asante, a retired diplomat and educationist, would be presented by Dr Kwesi Jonah, a senior lecturer from the Department of Political Science, University of Ghana, Legon, on the theme, "Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah at 100: Celebrating the Life and Legacies of a Pan-African Legend".
Other activities earmarked to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, he noted, included a candle-light vigil on the eve of February 24, the day he was overthrown.
On March 5, there shall be the re-enactment of the declaration of independence while on April 27, there shall be a wreath-laying ceremony at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum.
On June 11, the eve of the founding of the CPP, there shall be a candle-light vigil while a press conference has been scheduled for Republic Day, 1st July.
On August 1, there shall be the commemoration of the Kulungugu bomb while in September, there is expected to be the 2009 edition of the three-day annual Kwame Nkrumah Memorial public lectures.
Also, on the night of September 20, there shall be a candle-light vigil at Nkroful and in December, there shall be reflections on the life of Dr Nkrumah, and individuals who knew and worked with him are expected to give their accounts of the country’s first President.
Caption: (Second & third pix) The front view of the museum containing the belongings of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first President.
No comments:
Post a Comment