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Reparations are about justice, not charity – Kwesi Pratt
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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
Women have been asked not to dismiss painless lumps in the breast, as the absence of pain does not mean a lump is harmless.
A Specialist Radiation Oncologist at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Mary Ann Dadzie, said women should seek medical attention promptly whenever they noticed any unusual changes in the breast.
“A painless lump is not a harmless lump. You need to take action and not wait for pain,” she said.![Prof.Dr.Grace Ayensu-Danquah [middle] launching of Breast Cancer Awarencss Mouth with Dr.Caroline Reindorf Amissah[second from right] and other officials Photo Okai Elizabeth.](https://spectator.com.gh/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Prof.Dr_.Grace-Ayensu-Danquah-middle-launching-of-Breast-Cancer-Awarencss-Mouth-with-Dr.Caroline-Reindorf-Amissahsecond-from-right-and-other-officials-Photo-Okai-Elizabeth.jpg)
Dr Dadzie made the call at the 2026 national launch of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, held on the theme, “early action, better outcomes.”
She expressed concern that about 45 per cent of breast cancer patients seen at Korle-Bu failed to return after starting treatment.
According to her, some patients began treatment but later stopped reporting to the hospital, leaving health professionals uncertain about their wellbeing.
She attributed the situation to several factors, including fear of death, financial difficulties, long distances to health facilities, lack of time and stigma.
Dr Dadzie urged women to know their breasts and seek medical attention within two weeks of noticing any abnormality.
She said warning signs could include a lump or thickening in the breast or armpit, changes in breast size, an inverted nipple, nipple discharge and changes in the skin, including redness, sores or an orange-peel appearance.
She cautioned women not to assume they were safe simply because they had no family history of breast cancer, explaining that only about five to 10 per cent of women with the disease had a familial or genetic mutation.
Dr Dadzie encouraged women to undergo regular clinical breast examinations and discuss appropriate screening options, including mammography and ultrasound, with health professionals.
She also called on families, particularly husbands and partners, to support women who needed breast examinations or treatment.
“Home is where the support begins,” she said, urging families to provide practical assistance such as transportation and childcare.
Dr Dadzie further appealed for breast cancer services to be brought closer to communities through increased access to mammography, ultrasound and biopsy services, as well as the training of more health professionals.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Prof. Dr Grace Ayensu- Danquah, said breast cancer remained a major health concern among women in Ghana, with an estimated 4,650 new cases and about 2,060 deaths recorded annually.
She said Ghana’s breast cancer response focused on prevention, early detection, equitable access to treatment and compassionate care.
Dr Ayensu-Danquah said the country was working to strengthen awareness, clinical breast examinations, referral systems, pathology and diagnostic services to improve breast cancer outcomes.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) representative, Dr Joana Ansong, said too many women continued to present with advanced breast cancer, resulting in avoidable suffering and deaths.
She called for stronger health education, timely diagnosis, rapid referral and equitable access to comprehensive treatment and support.
Dr Ansong said breast cancer awareness should move beyond campaigns to sustained action involving government, communities, health professionals, civil society organisations, the private sector and families.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
Authorities of Percheyire R/C Basic School in the Yilo Krobo District of the Eastern Region are concerned about the safety of teachers and learners of the school, as reports of the condition of the structure appear to have fallen on deaf ears.
The ramshackle classroom structure looks like one that could cave in in the case of a heavy storm and, according to the teachers, teaching and learning become impossible when the rains set in.
The structure, which accommodates pupils from Primary Four to Six, has worn-out roofing sheets, mud walls and sections supported by wood used as pillars.
A source at the school, who requested anonymity, told The Spectator in an interview that the situation was particularly difficult during the rainy season.
“When it rains, it means teaching and learning would come to an end,” he said.
The source explained that the challenge affected only the upper primary section, as pupils from Kindergarten to Primary Three were housed in a relatively better block.
According to the source, about 30 pupils from Primary Four to Six currently use the dilapidated structure, but expressed grave concern about its condition.
The source, however, said that the safety of the pupils, their furniture and books remained a concern, particularly during heavy rains.
The source said the situation had been reported to the relevant authorities and was hopeful that the structure would eventually be reconstructed.
Some pupils sitting in one of the classrooms
Despite the visit to the school, authorities indicated that work would be undertaken, but the school was yet to receive further information on when the project would begin.
The source also identified the poor road network to the school as another challenge affecting enrolment, saying the school serves pupils from Percheyire and three neighbouring communities.
It also emerged that an enrolment drive embarked upon in one of the communities, Togodo, showed that more than 60 school-going children lived in the community, but were unable to attend the school regularly because of the distance and poor road.
The school currently has about 110 pupils from Kindergarten through Junior High School, according to the source.
The source said improving both the classroom infrastructure and the road network would help create a more conducive learning environment and potentially improve enrolment.
A former teacher of the school, Rev. Elizabeth Korasare, said she was surprised to find the structure still in use after 38 years.
“I was surprised to see that the classroom I sat in 38 years ago is in the same state. Even though there are some new blocks, the upper primary is still housed in that same dilapidated structure,” she told The Spectator.
She therefore appealed to the relevant stakeholders to support the school by building a modern structure and improving the road network.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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