The annual Festival of Unity, held every September 21st in honour of the late former President Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, once again brought together progressives across Ghana to reflect on the Pan-Africanist leader’s enduring vision of unity, freedom and self-determination.
But this year’s celebration carried added weight, coinciding with the Second Delegates Congress of the Socialist Movement of Ghana (SMG) on September 15, 2025, in Accra.
The congress, which drew members of the SMG, the Progressive Alliance for Ghana (PAG) and the Social Justice Movement of Ghana (SJMG), provided a platform to reassess Ghana’s political and socio-economic direction while reinforcing the call for a united progressive front.
In a statement on September 21, 2025, the group cautioned that while the National Democratic Congress (NDC) returned to power, it did so not through a bold transformative programme but largely due to public disillusionment with the corruption of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“The people voted overwhelmingly against the NPP because its corruption became intolerable and unbearable.
“However, this new administration has come to power without a clear political programme to confront the neo-colonial state, “part of the statement said.
The address warned that Ghana’s fragile economy, high unemployment, and the destruction of rivers through illegal mining could push the nation into an unprecedented crisis.
“If this continues unchecked, we may soon face the shameful reality of importing water in our own land,” it added.
The congress also touched on Ghana’s external relations. The NDC government’s role in facilitating deportations under U S immigration policies was criticised, with calls for greater transparency regarding hidden agreements.
Regionally, the instability in Burkina Faso and the wider Sahel was described as a looming security threat, alongside unresolved conflicts in South Sudan, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
On the international stage, the delegates strongly condemned Israel’s war on Gaza, describing it as “genocidal” and urging the international community to hold Israel accountable. They further called for a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, stressing that ordinary people on both sides are bearing the brunt of the war.
Despite the challenges, delegates found hope in the rise of alternative economic blocs. The address praised the BRICS initiative as a potential path toward sustainable development and liberation from Western hegemony.
“The BRICS project represents a real opportunity to escape the dominance of Western exploitation.
“We call on the Government of Ghana to actively engage with this initiative, because it offers genuine mutual partnership, unlike the arrangements that have tied our nation down for decades.”
“The greatest tribute to Nkrumah’s legacy”, the address concluded, “is for progressive forces to come together to chart a new course for social and economic justice in Ghana and across Africa.”
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