On Saturday, May 14, 2016 the Convention Peoples Party’s Presidential Campaign took a new twist when on leaving Wa to Nandom the team visited the prison grounds at Lawra where Kwame Nkrumah was detained upon the arrest of the Big Six following the 1948 disturbances.
The actual structure that Nkrumah was kept in was believed to have been pulled down by some aggressive civil servant who only regretted the action after he was told what the building represented. At the Prison grounds, the emotionally charged Kobina Greenstreet decried the poor state of our prisons as well as the demotivating conditions of service under which personnel of the Prisons Service operated.
Recounting the occurrences which led to the arrest and detention of Osagyefo, Prof Edmund Delle said “political struggles and the success that follow never come about without sacrifice. Osagyefo and his compatriots suffered and paid the price of imprisonment because of the path they had chosen to liberate their people from the shackles of colonialism and imperial dictatorship of dehumanization.”
Prof Delle further said “Greenstreet like Nkrumah had overcome many obstacles such as being in a wheel chair as a result of a near fatal car accident to become the Presidential Candidate of the CPP. I have survived eleven (11) crashes including one plane crash myself but I am still alive.”
He added that it was God’s own plan and purpose that they could go through all that and be alive today. “It is God who ordains leaders. The courage, bravery, wisdom and sincerity of Greenstreet only reminds me of our great leader Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.”
Lawyer Greenstreet additionally in his speech said; “there is too much injustice in our society. There is too much unfairness and inconsistencies. We owe it a duty to ourselves to change the status quo.”
“The tendency where we allow culprits to get away with their crimes while the innocent suffer with some languishing in jail would be tackled head on under the “Apam Foforͻ” leadership of the CPP.” The Lawyer who wants justice for all added.
At Lawra, there was a mini rally with mainly the persons with disabilities where “Mwini Sumbo” as “Apam Foforͻ” translates in Walla and Dagaare was explained to represent the new dawn of Ghanaian politics.
The CPP Presidential hopeful cried; “do not be afraid of the wheel chair. In this world no one knows the circumstances of tomorrow. What is important is the purity of your heart and desires. What is necessary is your positive, forward looking thoughts. What is noble is your courage, sincerity, truthfulness, love for others and the willingness to serve your nation as well as the readiness to sacrifice.”
“We are not going to relent in our effort to engage the whole of Ghana. But our success would depend on your acceptance of the challenge to become an organizer and a mobilizer of people for the cause which has brought us here today.”
Incidentally, at a separate function which was held closer by for the association of hairdressers and had as the guest of honour DCE Derry who was in crutches as a result some recent health challenges, Mr Greenstreet was given an opportunity to speak.
Mr. Greenstreet, the first man in a wheel chair to dare an attempt at becoming a Presidential Candidate thus the Office to the President of the Republic lamented over the disrespect that is often shown persons with disabilities in Ghana. “From our homes and families, to our schools and hospitals or within governmental structures we are disrespected because they don’t care about us. This is our chance to prove to all and sundry that we are able despite the challenges we live with.”
He charged the group to be hopeful and press on the best way they could. Additionally he said no one would seek their interest if they failed to fight for themselves.
Source: CPP