Sekou Nkrumah, son of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, has called for a clear ideological direction to guide efforts to revive the Convention People’s Party (CPP).
He argued that the party’s future should not depend on finding a charismatic leader but on developing a strong political message capable of attracting new members and offering Ghanaians a distinct alternative.
Mr Nkrumah made the remarks on Monday, September 21, during activities at the CPP headquarters to commemorate the 117th birthday of his father.
Calls for democratic socialism
Mr Nkrumah proposed democratic socialism as a possible ideological direction for the CPP, saying the party could combine democratic principles with a political agenda rooted in socialist ideas and focused on the interests of ordinary Ghanaians.
He said efforts to rebuild the CPP should therefore begin with its political ideas and identity rather than individual personalities.
According to him, the party must also expand its membership base and develop sustainable mechanisms for financing its activities.
He stressed the need for competent party members who understand the CPP’s political philosophy and can communicate its ideas effectively to the public, particularly through the media.
Mr Nkrumah said a clearly defined political message would help the CPP distinguish itself from other political parties and give prospective members a reason to identify with its programme.
Organisational renewal
His comments come as the CPP continues efforts to reconnect with the political legacy of its founder, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
The party has in recent days renewed calls for greater emphasis on economic self-reliance, industrialisation and African unity as Ghana commemorates Nkrumah’s 117th birthday.
Mr Nkrumah also raised concerns about the physical condition of the CPP’s headquarters, warning that the state of the party’s offices could affect how the public perceives the organisation.
He argued that the party could not remain in its current condition if it sought to attract new members and rebuild public confidence.
For him, reviving the CPP requires both ideological renewal and a strengthening of its organisational structures.
He urged party members, particularly young people and long-standing supporters, to play an active role in rebuilding the party.
Nkrumah’s political legacy
Dr Kwame Nkrumah founded the Convention People’s Party in 1949 and led the party in Ghana’s independence struggle.
He became the country’s first Prime Minister following independence in 1957 and, after Ghana became a republic in 1960, its first President.
The CPP continues to draw on his political philosophy and Pan-African vision as central elements of its identity.
