By Hafsa Obeng
Accra, Oct. 1, GNA – The Center for National Interest and Research (CNIR) and the Centenary Agenda Secretariat, Ghana, on Thursday, launched the National Heroes Project, in Accra.
The project aims to identify, honour and immortalise individuals who contributed significantly to the country’s political, economic and social development.
Engr. Dr Dzabaku Kudiabor Ocansey, Executive Director, CNIR and President of the Centenary Agenda Secretariat, said the initiative was particularly important as Ghana prepared for its centenary anniversary in 2057.
He said the country needed to reconnect with its history and draw lessons from the sacrifices, innovations and values of people who contributed to the development of the nation.
He said Ghana’s development challenges could not be addressed effectively if the country continued to overlook the contributions of its historical figures and the values that guided them.
He said the project was also intended to inspire the younger generation to understand the country’s history and use lessons from the past to shape its future.
Engr. Dr Ocansey cited the contributions of personalities including Tetteh Quarshie, credited with introducing cocoa cultivation; Jacob Wilson Sey; Alfred John Kabu Ocansey; George Alfred Grant (Paa Grant); Nii Kwabena Bonnie III; and Rebecca Naa Dedey Aryetey.
He said their contributions to agriculture, commerce, nationalism, political organisation and the struggle for independence demonstrated the important role played by individuals outside the formal political establishment in Ghana’s development.
“These heroes, and many others, must not just be remembered or quoted in passing. We must immortalize and emulate them as we ,,move into the era of our country’s Centenary Anniversary over the next 30 years, spanning from 2027 to 2057,” he said.
Engr. Dr Ocansey said Ghana’s history had been shaped by several generations who contributed to the country’s journey through pre-independence struggles, colonialism, nationalism, independence and the subsequent constitutional periods.
He said it is important to understand that history would help the country avoid repeating past mistakes and provide young people with a stronger sense of national identity and pride.
He also linked the initiative to President John Dramani Mahama’s advocacy for reparatory justice and efforts to draw global attention to the historical consequences of the transatlantic slave trade.
Engr. Dr Ocansey said the National Heroes Project would seek to establish a dedicated National Heroes Day, arguing that such a day would provide an opportunity for the country to collectively reflect on and honour people who contributed to its development.
He said the project would also document Ghana’s indigenous commercial heritage, citing archival research which, according to him, identified hundreds of Ghanaian entrepreneurs who operated and competed with European expatriate businesses during the colonial period.
“Sankofa teaches us that looking back is not backwardness; it is an act of wisdom,” he said.
He said activities lined up for the project include national heroes’ symposiums and memorial lectures to be held between October and December 2026, followed by planning for a National Heroes Posthumous Awards ceremony between January and March 2027.
“From 2027 to 2032, the organisers plan to develop a National Heroes Museum and Hall of Fame to preserve the legacies, inventions and contributions of the personalities identified.”
The project would also produce a magazine titled “The Fathers of the Motherland; The National Heroes Diary,” which would document the milestones and serve as an educational resource for schools, institutions and households.
Engr. Dr Ocansey appealed to the media, development partners and the public, particularly the youth, to support the initiative.
He said preserving the country’s historical heritage and learning from its past were essential to building a stronger foundation for Ghana’s future development.
GNA
1 Oct. 2026
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Hafsa Obeng