Books by Kwame Nkrumah

Consciencism: Philosophy and the Ideology for Decolonization (1970) /  Neo-Colonialism: The Last Stage of Imperialism (1965)

 Africa Must Unite (1963) / Ghana: Autobiography of Kwame Nkrumah   /  Dark Days in Ghana

 Class Struggle in Africa  /  The Struggle Continues  

*   *   *   *   *

The Responsibility of a Pan-African Socialist 

A Speech by Osagyefo

from A Kind of Homecoming by E.R. Braithwaite

I have stated over and over again that members of the Convention People's Party must not use their party membership or official position for personal gain or for the amassing of wealth. Such tendencies directly contradict our party constitution, which make sit clear that the aims and objects of the party among other things are the building of a Socialist pattern of society in which free development of each is the condition for the free development of all--a pattern of society consonant with African situations, circumstances, and conditions.

I have explained very clearly this Socialist structure and have on many occasions elaborated the Five sectors into which our economy may be divided.

These sectors are: first, the state sector, in which all enterprises are entirely State-owned; second, joint State-owned private sector, which will incorporate enterprises owned jointly by Government and foreign private capital; third, the cooperative sector, in which all enterprises will be undertaken by cooperative organizations affiliated with the National Cooperative Council; fourth, the private-enterprise sector, which will incorporate those industries which are open freely to foreign private enterprise; and fifth, the workers'-enterprise sector.

I have had occasions to emphasize the part which private enterprise will continue to play in our economic and industrial life. A different situation arises with Ghanaian businessmen who attempt to combine business with political life.

Being a party member of the Assembly--and much more, being a ministerial secretary or a minister--means that the persons who take up these positions owe a duty to those who have elected them, or who have given them their positions confidence.

To be able to maintain this confidence, therefore, they should not enter into any type of industrial or commercial undertaking. Any party member of Parliament who wishes to be a businessman can do so, but he should give up his seat in Parliament.

In other words, no minister, ministerial secretary or party member of Parliament should own a business or be involved in anyone else's business, Ghanaian or foreign

In spite of my constant clarifications and explanations of our aims and objectives, some party members in parliament pursue a conduct in direct contradiction of our party aims.

They are tending, by virtue of their functions and positions to become a social group to become a new ruling class of self-seekers and careerists.

This tendency is working to alienate the support of the masses and to bring the National Assembly into isolation.

I am aware that the evil of patronage finds a good deal of place in our society. I consider that it is entirely wrong for persons placed in positions of eminence or authority to use the influence of office in patronizing others, in many cases wrong persons, for immoral favors.

I am seeing to it that this evil shall be uprooted no matter who is gored. The same thing goes for nepotism, which is, so to speak, a twin brother of the evil of patronage.

At this point, I would like to make a little divergence and touch upon civil service red tape. It amazes me that up to the present, many civil servants do not not realize that we are living in a revolutionary era. This Ghana, which has lost so much time serving colonial masters, cannot afford to be tied down to archaic snail-place methods of work which obstruct expeditious progress.

We have lost so much time that we need to do in ten years what ahs taken others a hundred years to accomplish.

Civil servants, therefore, must develop a new orientation, a sense of mission and urgency to enable them to eliminate all tendencies toward red tape-ism, bureaucracy, and waste. Civil servants must use their initiative to make the civil service an effective instrument in the rapid development of Ghana.

Let me now come back to the party. It is most important to remember that the strength of the Convention People's Party derives from the masses of the people.

These men and women include those whom I have constantly referred to as the unknown warriors--dedicated men and women who served the party loyally and selflessly without hoping for reward.

It is therefore natural for the masses to feel some resentment when they see comrades whom they have put into power and given the mandate to serve the country on their behalf, begin to forget themselves and indulge in ostentatious living.

High party officials, ministers, ministerial secretaries, chairmen of statutory boards and corporations must forever bear this in mind. Some of us very easily forget that we ourselves have risen from amongst the masses.

We must avoid any conduct that will breed antagonism and uneasy relations. Let us always keep in mind the fact that constant examination and correction are necessary for maintaining the solidarity of the party.

The aim of all corrections, however, must be to build and not to destroy. The central committee proposes to issue instructions shortly on the duties and rights of party members.

Finally, I wish to state that in considering remedial measures, I have found it necessary to direct that a limit be imposed on property acquisition by ministers, party officials, and ministerial secretaries in order to enable them to conform to the modest and simple way of life demanded by the ideals and principles of the Convention People's Party.

Countrymen: Our mission to Ghana and to Africa and the unique personality of our party as a vanguard of the African Liberation Movement, impose upon us increasing responsibility, not only to set our own house in order, but also to set very high standards from which all who seek to emulate us shall draw devotion and inspiration in their own struggles.

I wish you all good luck and a good week-end.

*   *   *  *   *

"Well, what do you think? Josh asked me. He had sat smoking as I read.

"In my opinion, any leader who makes statements and demands such as these, must himself be free of any taint or suggestion of complicity in similar pursuits," I replied.

"Right. No one can point a finger of accusation at the Osagyefo."

"Cannot or dare not?" I asked.

"Cannot! The Osagyefo has no personal fortune or financial interests, because his needs are provided for by the party. But personally, he lives very simply and neither smokes nor drinks. As you rightly said, only a man who himself leads an exemplary life would dare make such a broadcast."

"What do you expect the reaction to be among the officials at whom this is aimed?"

"Something in the nature of a 'thunderbolt in the great hall.' Some big heads are likely to roll. Man, I could name names. The Osagyefo has not made a single unfounded claim. Lots of officials have been blatantly misusing their position in every conceivable way, and its high time some action was taken. The rank-and-file of the party has begun to grumble, and the matter has been raised at several study groups recently."

"Study groups?"

"Oh yes it's part of our party structure, so that activists and others can keep abreast of Socialist thought and information."

I'd heard the same thing in Guinea.

Source: E.R. Braithwaite. A Kind of Homecoming. Englewoods Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1962