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After 52 years….
KWAME NKRUMAH’S CAR STILL ON THE ROAD
By: Francis Xah
The official Cadillac saloon car used by the first President of Ghana, in 1966, is still road worthy. 
And to utilize it profitably, the Minister of Chieftaincy and culture, Alex Asun – Ahensah, is suggesting that it should be used to drive visitors and tourist within the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park (KNMP) for a fee.
He made the suggestion last Thursday after he visited the KNMP to the progress of the renovation work carried out there.
The Minister was elated when the Director of KNMP, Mr. Kwame Asiamah, informed him that the engine was in perfect working condition. What was needed was polishing it and he proposes that the General motors in the USA, manufacturers of the car could be contacted to that.
The Minister said it would give visitors to the park “a great feeling” to be seen riding in a vehicle Dr Kwame Nkrumah used.
A Chinese construction firm, China State Hualong Construction (Ghana) Ltd, which is undertaking the renovation works at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum told the Minister that work would be completed in 20 days early enough to meet the September 21 Centenary Celebration of Ghana’s first President .
The Minister inspected renovation work on the museum, the VIP lounge structures housing the mausoleum.
The entire floor surface and the roofing of the museum, which leakage from both rain water and underground water because of cracks, were being taken care of by the contractors.
The VIP lounge as well as the mausoleum itself housing the remains of Dr Kwame Nkrumah and his wife Fathia, are also being renovated.
Mr. Daniel Blay, the contractor doing the repairs on the fountains, also said by September 15, all major repair works would have been completed.
The Minister, expressed satisfaction with work done so far, saying that, he believes the contractors will meet the deadline.The Times in its publication of Monday, March 9, 2009, drew attention to the decay of the mausoleum and the museum housing and the personal belongings of Dr Nkrumah.
The publication received a positive response from President J.E.A. Mills who ordered the Prestige Department of the Public Works Department to submit a detailed financial proposal for the renovation work to cabinet, which consequently led to the renovation.
*SOURCE:
The Ghanaian Times - Page: 3 Monday, August 31, 2009
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