Sekou Nkrumah, son of Ghana’s first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, has called for a clear ideological direction to help revive the Convention People’s Party (CPP).

He said the party’s future should not depend on finding a charismatic leader but on developing a clear political message capable of attracting members and presenting Ghanaians with a distinct political alternative.

Mr Nkrumah was speaking during activities marking his father’s 117th birthday at the CPP headquarters on Monday, September 21.

He proposed democratic socialism as a possible ideological direction for the party, arguing that the CPP could embrace democratic principles while maintaining a political agenda rooted in socialist ideas and focused on the interests of ordinary Ghanaians.

According to him, rebuilding the CPP should therefore begin with its ideas and political identity rather than individual personalities.

Mr Nkrumah also called on the party to strengthen its membership base and develop mechanisms for self-financing.

He said the CPP needed competent people who understood its political ideas and could communicate them effectively to the public, particularly through the media.

He argued that a clearly defined message would help the party distinguish itself and give potential members a reason to identify with its political programme.

His comments come as the CPP continues efforts to reconnect with the political legacy of its founder, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

The party has in recent days renewed calls for a stronger focus on economic self-reliance, industrialisation and African unity as Ghana commemorates Nkrumah's 117th birthday.

Mr Nkrumah also expressed concern about the physical state of the CPP’s headquarters, saying the condition of the party office could influence how seriously the public perceives the organisation.

He said the party could not remain in its current state if it wanted to attract new members and rebuild public confidence.

For him, efforts to revive the CPP must therefore involve both ideological renewal and strengthening the party’s organisational structures.

He urged members, particularly the younger generation, as well as older party supporters, to contribute to the rebuilding process.

Dr Kwame Nkrumah founded the CPP in 1949 and led the party in the struggle for independence, eventually becoming Ghana’s first Prime Minister and, after the country became a republic in 1960, its first President. The CPP continues to identify his political philosophy and Pan-African vision as central to its identity.