CPP calls for protection and revival of state-owned enterprises to honour Nkrumah

The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has urged the government to safeguard, rejuvenate and effectively manage Ghana’s state-owned enterprises as the nation commemorates the 117th birthday of its founding father, Dr Kwame Nkrumah. The party believes Nkrumah’s dedication to nationalism, self-reliance and state-driven development should guide Ghana’s stewardship of these vital public assets.

In a statement, the CPP’s National Communications Director, Osei Kofi Acquah, expressed alarm at the decline of certain state-owned firms and the sale of others to politically favored individuals. The party also opposes the government’s plan for private-sector involvement in the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), viewing it as an attempt to privatize the utility.

The government maintains that its proposed private-sector participation would not entail the sale or transfer of ownership of ECG, and instead seeks to bring private expertise into specific operations while retaining state ownership. CPP argues that these strategic enterprises can be managed by Ghanaians when properly governed. Osei Kofi Acquah emphasized that it is illogical to assume that a company, factory, or state-owned enterprise cannot be efficiently managed by the over 30 million Ghanaians, yet can be managed effectively by a single individual or group.

The party thus calls on the government to restore, revitalize, and maintain these state-owned entities, asserting that they can foster job creation and revenue generation. This call coincides with Ghana’s observance of the 117th anniversary of Dr Nkrumah’s birth on September 21, 2026. Nkrumah, born on September 21, 1909, led Ghana to independence in 1957 and championed economic independence, industrialization, and Pan-Africanism.

The CPP urges the government to use this moment to reaffirm its commitment to Nkrumah’s principles. CPP asserts that the occasion should serve to recommit to the ideals associated with Nkrumah’s political and economic vision. They call on the government to restore, revitalize, maintain, and properly manage state-owned enterprises and companies, aiming to provide employment for the numerous unemployed youth of Ghana and generate revenue for the government.

The CPP’s stance arises amidst a nationwide discussion over the future of state-owned enterprises and the role of private-sector participation in public utilities. Ghana’s State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) currently lists ECG among the country’s state-owned enterprises, noting that the company is wholly owned by the Government of Ghana.

The CPP concluded its statement by reiterating its commitment to preserving Nkrumah’s legacy of nationalism, patriotism, and Pan-Africanism, calling for "Long live the legacies of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah. Long live Pan-Africanism. Long live Nationalism and Patriotism. Long live Mother Ghana."