Ghana Facing Serious Political Crisis

Press, Volume C, Issue 29626, 23 September 1961, Page 11

Ghana Facing Serious Political Crisis

(Special Crspdt N.Z.PjI.)

LONDON, Sept. 22.

Ghana is now in the midst of the most serious political crisis it has faced since independence, says a correspondent of the “Guardian.”

The immediate cause is the July Budget, which has led to major strikes in ports and railways, but the controversial Budget is itself only part

ol a long smouldering conflict between iU-deflned factions within Dr. Nkrumah’s Convention People’s Party. For the first time Dr. Nkrumah’s political gifts seem to have deserted him.

The present crisis seems due very largely to the fact that he agreed to the Budget, which was bound to cause hardship to Ghana’s masses; and yet he stayed away from Ghana, first on his visits to Communist bloc countries

and to the Belgrade conference, and then on holiday. In Accra, there is open talk of a successor to Dr. Nkrumah. Some of his associates are not merely critical but openly disrespectful, and the sudden departure of Ghana’s High Commissioner in London, coupled with the names of possible successors, are indications that he no longer has full freedom of choice. The struggle in Ghana is both about people and about policies. Quite apart from the official opposition party—which has been and remains ineffective—Dr. Nkrumah has long been criticised by a right-wing for aspects of his. African policies, for extravagance on prestige projects and, more recently, for the concentration of power around his person. The Ministerial Govern-

ment in Ghana has been virtually reduced to a farce and all important offices are now centred on the presidency. The correspondent says it is not clear what the outcome of the present struggle will be. “Nkrumah looks a tired man nowadays and the magnetism which has served him so well is no longer in evidence. The day of reckoning may be close.”