The CPP was born in Accra on the 12th of June 1949, before a crowd of some 60,000 people which had gathered on the Old Polo Ground. On that day, Kwame Nkrumah resigned as general secretary of the UGCC, and declared that the CYO had decided to break away from the UGCC to become an entirely separate political party, the CPP. The decision to form a new party had been taken a few days before at a special conference of the CYO held in Tarkwa

The foundation of the CPP  marked a decisive turning point in the history of Ghana’s. For it led directly to the achievement of Ghana’s independence on 6 March 1957. 

CPP Colours, Motto and Symbol

The colours of the party were to be red, white and green, the tricolour flag in horizontal form with red at the top, white in the centre and green at the bottom.
Party motto: 

FORWARD EVER BACKWARD NEVER 

Its symbol: A red cockerel heralding the dawn.

Structure

Party branches were to be established in every town and village, throughout the country. It was to be a mass based party each branch pf which was to be administered by an elected branch of which was to be administered by an elected Branch Executive committee. There was to be a National Secretariat under the direct supervision and control of the   Central Committee of the party.

Members of the first Central Committee were:

1. Kwame Nkrumah (Chairman)
2. Kojo Botsio (Secretary)
3. K.A. Gbedemah
4. N. A. Welbeck
5. Kwesi Plange
   
6. Kofi Baako
   
7. Krobo Edusei
   
8. Dzenkle Dzewu
   
9. Ashie Nikoi