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Ghana Leads Global Call to Recognise Transatlantic Slave Trade as Crime Against Humanity
The Vice President of Ghana, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, has announced that Ghana is leading efforts at the United Nations to have the transatlantic slave trade formally recognised as one of the greatest crimes against humanity.
She made the remarks while serving as Guest of Honour at a citizenship ceremony organised by the Diaspora Affairs Office and the Ministry of the Interior, where about 150 members of the African diaspora were granted Ghanaian citizenship at the Accra International Conference Centre yesterday.
The Vice President emphasised that recognising the transatlantic slave trade would affirm global commitment to truth, remembrance and justice for people of African descent.
She also highlighted Ghana’s continued role as a place of reconnection for the diaspora, referencing historic sites such as Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle.
In his remarks, the Minister for Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, said that the ceremony represented the culmination of a legal and administrative process through which individuals with strong ties to Ghana have formally become citizens of the Republic.
He noted that through the Ministry of the Interior and its partner institutions, the Government of Ghana remains committed to ensuring that the process of acquiring citizenship is transparent, credible, and consistent with the laws of Ghana.
Addressing the ceremony, the Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President, Kofi Okyere-Darko said the occasion symbolises far more than the formal granting of nationality.
“What we mark today extends far beyond the granting of citizenship; it represents the restoration of a connection shaped by history carried across continents through generations and now meaningfully reaffirmed here in the land from which it first began,” he said.
Darko noted that while citizenship is often seen as a legal status, it also carries a deeper emotional and cultural significance.
He explained that many members of the African Diaspora have long felt a strong connection to the continent through ancestry and cultural heritage, making their decision to become Ghanaian citizens a full-circle moment.
“For many of you, the path that led here was guided by ancestry, by a cultural memory, by a persistence sense that somewhere on this continent that was where it all begun.
“Today that history comes full circle. Ghana is not welcoming strangers; Ghana is receiving family,” he said.
The ceremony was also attended by Minister for Tourism, Abla Dzifa Gomashie.
The Ghana National Gas Company has denied allegations of wrongdoing in its recent procurement and insurance contract renewals.
In a press statement issued in Accra on April 13, 2026, the company explained that concerns raised in some media reports were linked to a change in its lead insurer.
It noted that the change followed the expiration of previous insurance contracts at the end of the year.
The company stressed that the new insurance arrangements are lawful and form part of efforts to improve its risk management system to protect its assets.
It further indicated that all contracts awarded so far have gone through the required approval processes by the Public Procurement Authority after receiving financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance.
The statement, signed by the Head of Corporate Affairs, Richard Ernest Kirk-Mensah, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
It added that management remains focused on delivering gas efficiently to meet the country’s energy needs while continuing to strengthen internal systems to ensure good corporate governance and compliance.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana has clarified that it now supports the implementation of the Publican Artificial Intelligence system at the country’s ports, following earlier concerns raised in 2025.
In a press statement issued on April 9, the Association explained that claims suggesting it still opposes the system are misleading and based on outdated information from a December 18, 2025 media publication.
It noted that its earlier concerns were legitimate, pointing to a lack of stakeholder consultation, as well as issues related to data security, transparency, and system integration.
At the time, it called for broader engagement to ensure the system would be credible and beneficial to all stakeholders.
According to the statement, the Government of Ghana, through the Finance Ministry and the Ghana Revenue Authority, has since engaged industry players, including the Association, to address those concerns.
The Association described the engagements as constructive, indicating that they helped resolve key issues and showed government’s commitment to improving the system’s implementation.
As a result, it affirmed its support for the Publican AI system, which has already been rolled out at the ports.
The Association acknowledged that the system is facing some operational challenges but noted that such difficulties are common with major technological reforms.
It added that authorities are taking steps to resolve the issues.
It highlighted the potential benefits of the system, including improved revenue mobilisation, increased transparency, reduced revenue leakages, and a decline in unethical practices at the ports.
The statement cautioned the public against attempts by some individuals and groups to misrepresent its position, stressing that such actions undermine national progress.
It further emphasised that it will not allow itself to be used for propaganda or agendas that do not serve the interests of importers, exporters, and the wider economy.
The Executive Secretary of the Association, Samson Asaki Awingobit, signed the statement, reaffirming the group’s commitment to supporting reforms that improve efficiency at the ports and promote a fair trading environment.
By: Jacob Aggrey
