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Reparations are about justice, not charity – Kwesi Pratt
Veteran Ghanaian journalist Kwesi Pratt has called for a global push for reparatory justice, insisting that reparations for the transatlantic slave trade and colonialism should be treated as a matter of justice rather than charity.
Speaking on the second day of the High-Level Consultative Conference on the next steps following the landmark United Nations Resolution A/Res/80/250 on the trafficking of enslaved Africans, Pratt said reparations are a political, legal and historical necessity.
According to him, the transatlantic slave trade was not an isolated event but a system that was organised and supported by governments, chartered companies, churches and intellectual institutions that benefited from the exploitation of Africans.
He argued that the plantation economy that emerged from slavery created a racial order that portrayed Africans as inferior and justified their enslavement.
He added that the effects of this ideology survived through colonialism, apartheid and other systems that continue to disadvantage African people.
Pratt said reparatory justice must go beyond apologies and financial compensation.
He explained that it should include restitution, rehabilitation, institutional reforms, cultural restoration, educational correction and guarantees that such injustices never happen again.
“The demand for reparations is rooted in memory but directed towards the future,” he said, adding that the goal is not only to correct historical wrongs but also to transform conditions that continue to produce African underdevelopment.
He called for the return of stolen African artefacts and the rewriting of distorted historical accounts, arguing that both are essential components of reparatory justice.
The veteran journalist urged African governments, the African diaspora and international partners to ensure that the recent United Nations resolution becomes the basis for a concrete programme of action rather than a symbolic document.
He proposed the establishment of a permanent and coordinated reparations mechanism involving the African Union, CARICOM, African states, diaspora organisations, legal experts, historians, economists and civil society groups.
According to Pratt, the body should be tasked with researching historical crimes, documenting evidence, advocating for justice and engaging international institutions, including the United Nations, courts, financial institutions, universities and museums.
He called for extensive legal investigations into states, companies, banks, churches and other institutions that participated in or profited from slavery and colonial exploitation.
Mr. Pratt stressed the need for a global reparations education campaign, saying schools, universities, media organisations and cultural institutions must help correct misconceptions about Africa’s history.
He argued that Africa’s poverty and underdevelopment were not the result of destiny but were linked to centuries of exploitation, extraction of resources and colonial domination.
On development, he said reparations should include debt cancellation, industrial support, technology transfer, educational investment, healthcare development and infrastructure expansion across Africa and African-descended communities.
He further criticised attempts to reduce reparations to cultural tourism and symbolic gestures, insisting that the campaign is fundamentally about restoring dignity and addressing historical injustices.
Mr. Pratt questioned the participation of French President Emmanuel Macron in the conference, describing it as inappropriate in the context of discussions on reparatory justice.
Responding to questions after his presentation, he called on civil society organisations, the media and social movements to build international solidarity around the reparations agenda.
He argued that the struggle for reparatory justice is connected to broader global struggles against oppression and inequality and requires the support of people across the world.
Despite the challenges, Pratt expressed confidence that the campaign would succeed.
“We are not begging,” he said. “We are engaged in a struggle for justice.”
He maintained that Africa and its diaspora must continue pushing for accountability and meaningful action, expressing optimism that the fight for reparatory justice would ultimately be won.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has announced the commencement of enforcement of the National Identity Register (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2523), warning institutions that fail to comply with the new requirements of possible fines of up to 2,000 penalty units.
The Authority says it will deploy a Biometric Verification Implementation Task Force to inspect institutions and ensure they comply with the regulations, following the expiration of a three-month grace period granted to businesses and public institutions.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, November 2, 2026, the NIA’s Corporate Affairs representative, William Ampomah Emmanuel Darlas, said the Authority had completed its public education and stakeholder engagement activities and was now moving into the enforcement and compliance monitoring phase.
He explained that the regulations require institutions that verify the identities of customers or applicants as part of their operations to use the NIA’s approved biometric verification platform instead of relying solely on visual inspection of the Ghana Card.
Under the new rules, institutions are prohibited from photocopying, scanning or keeping copies of the Ghana Card for identity verification purposes.
Mr Darlas stressed that simply collecting a customer’s Ghana Card, looking at the photograph and comparing it with the person presenting it would no longer be accepted as a valid method of identity verification.
He, however, clarified that the Ghana Card remains the country’s official national identity document and that citizens are not required to register for a new card or capture their biometrics again under the new regulations.
He said the new system is intended to reduce identity fraud, impersonation and other crimes by ensuring that the person presenting the Ghana Card is the actual owner.
According to him, the biometric verification process will rely on information already captured during Ghana Card registration, including fingerprints, iris details and facial features stored in the card’s chip.
Mr Darlas warned institutions against using third-party companies or individuals to access the NIA’s identity verification platform, insisting that the Authority does not work with intermediaries.
He said institutions seeking access to the National Identity Register must deal directly with the NIA and complete its official onboarding process.
The process requires institutions to prove that they are legally registered companies in Ghana, obtain certification from the Data Protection Commission and work with the NIA’s technical team to establish the necessary connection to its platform.
He further cautioned institutions already connected to the platform against subletting their access to other businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.
He disclosed that the Authority had received reports of some institutions providing their verification services to other businesses without the NIA’s approval and warned that those involved would face legal action.
Mr Darlas said organisations that fail to comply with L.I. 2523 could face fines ranging from 500 to 2,000 penalty units, depending on the nature of the offence.
He explained that the NIA does not have the authority to impose the fines directly but would take offenders to court for the appropriate punishment.
He indicated that Institutions found guilty could also face additional administrative measures, including being barred from accessing the NIA’s verification platform in the future.
The NIA representative further clarified that the new regulations do not prohibit all institutions from physically using the Ghana Card during transactions.
The Managing Director of the Ghana Publishing Company Limited, Nana Kwesi Boatey, has revealed how he transformed a major overstaffing challenge into a success story through the government’s 24-Hour Economy initiative.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, November 2, Mr. Boatey disclosed that when he assumed office in February 2025, and inherited a bloated workforce of 250 employees doing work that could be efficiently handled by 150 people, a situation that created serious liquidity challenges for the state-owned company.
Instead of resorting to downsizing, he adopted an innovative approach by instituting a 24-hour operational system.
Under the new system, staff were redistributed across three shifts: 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., and 10 p.m. – 4:30 a.m.
This not only ensured optimal use of labour but also maximized machine utilization and improved overall output.
According to him, the single move redefined the productivity culture within the company, reinforcing discipline, accountability, and efficiency.
The Ghana Publishing Company’s turnaround is being cited as a practical example of how the 24-Hour Economy policy can drive growth without job losses.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
