With the arrest of the so called “Big Six”, the British Authorities seized the records of the UGCC leaders. The first were the minutes of the meetings of the working committee of the UGCC. These were basically the policy discussions of the Big Six. The British captured the organization’s minutes when arresting the Big Six.
The second was the document known as “THE CIRCLE,” which they seized from Nkrumah’s papers. They believed that he had become a Communist in London, despite his statements to the contrary. He intended to become the leader of a “Union of West African Soviet Socialist Republics.” They were certain that he intended to become the leader of a “Union of West African Soviet Socialist Republics.”
The final and official Watson Commission Report stated that the UGCC did not “really get down to business” until Nkrumah became general secretary. Nkrumah had been educated in Britain and the United States. The UGCC working committee minutes showed that the other members arrested with Nkrumah gave him carte blanche to use the UGCC organization as his own. This allowed Nkrumah to become the “real power” in the UGCC. The Coussey Committee was established to address the increasing demands by Gold Coasters for more representative government.
The Committee chaired by Sir Henley Coussey on constitutional change began its deliberations on March14, 1949 and on 7 November, 1949, the Coussey Committee Report was published. It made provisions for greater African representation in government but it stopped short of advocating or even suggesting self-rule.
While the Coussey report was comprehensive and generally accepted by political moderates, Nkrumah was furious because of its self-rule shortcomings. On November 20th, 1949, he called a mass rally at the West end Arena in Accra where he officially rejected the recommendations of the report. He announced formation of the Ghana Representative Council (GRC) as the principal body to initiate appeal against the report. The demanded the creation of a constituent assembly to create a constitution for immediate self-government for the Gold Coast as a British Dominion. He renewed his nationwide tour, calling on "all men of goodwill, organize, organize, organize. We prefer self-government in danger, to servitude in tranquillity. Forward ever, backward never". The chant "Self-government now" was taken up in every corner of the country. Plans were announced for a nationwide Positive Action strike to begin 1 January, 1950.