Ghana Post, VRA issue Nkrumah stamps

Published in the Daily Graphic on 3/03/2010, pg 31

Story: Matilda Attram
THE Volta River Authority (VRA), in collaboration with Ghana Post, has introduced new postage stamps as part of the activities marking the centenary celebration of the birth of the First President of Ghana, the late Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
The stamps, which were released for sale yesterday, bear pictures of some achievements made by Dr Nkrumah to improve on the development of the nation including the signing ceremony of the Akosombo Dam agreement, the Akosombo Generating Station, the Akosombo Dam and the Takoradi Thermal Plant.
Others are the 'Tema Thermal Plant, the switching on of the power after inaugurating the Kpong Dam and switching on of the Akosombo generating station.
The introduction of the stamps is also to encourage Ghanaians to bring to life the vision Dr Nkrumah had for the nation and the African continent.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, the acting Managing Director of Ghana Post, Mr Nicholas Dery, said stamps played an important role in the development of a nation.
He said they were symbols that portrayed the values and efforts of a nation within its boarders and beyond.
He recalled the pride taken by Ghana Post in recognition of the achievements of Dr Nkrumah and expressed the hope that it would forever be a legacy in the history of Ghana.
"We did not hesitate to partner the VRA in the issuance of these stamps because we recognise the First President as the trailblazer in Ghana's development; one of which monumental achievements, the VRA, we celebrate today," stated Mr Dery.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of VRA, Mr Kweku Andoh Awotwi, in a welcoming address, indicated that VRA had expanded electricity generation over the years with Dr Nkrumah being the first board chairman of the organisation and providing quality leadership after independence.
The Board Chairman of VRA, Professor Akilagkpa Sawyerr, explained that the conception of the Akosombo power project was a vision to transform the lives and conditions of the people of Ghana and the entire continent.
He added that Ghana's dream of transforming lives through the project was shattered after the overthrow of Dr Nkrumah in 1966.
Professor Sawyerr urged Ghanaians to revive the confidence portrayed by the nation's forefathers, adding that "unless we can retrieve the spirit of aiming high, all our efforts will be in the service of others. Let these stamps symbolise the unfinished story of a nation".