President Mahama calls for that slavery be acknowledged as a crime against humanity on a worldwide scale.
30
Ghana will submit a resolution to the UN asking for the official acknowledgement of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade as the worst crimes against humanity, according to President John Dramani Mahama.
Speaking at Ghana’s 69th Independence Day celebration, the President stated that the initiative was a part of global efforts to achieve historical justice for Africans and their descendants.
He declared, “Later this month, Ghana will submit a motion to the United Nations declaring slavery and the transatlantic slave trade the gravest crime against humanity,”
The President stated that the action will strengthen international efforts to provide victims of the centuries-long slave trade with justice and compensation.
“This motion will represent the justice and restitution that is long overdue,” he said.
President Mahama highlighted Ghana’s close ties to the African diaspora, characterising them as a bond based on tragic history and common origin.
He pointed out that surviving remnants of the transatlantic slave trade are old slave forts like Elmina Castle and Cape Coast Castle.
“The dungeons of Cape Coast and Elmina castles remind us of the dark chapters of history when millions of Africans were forcibly transported across the Middle Passage to the so-called New World,” he said.
The President claimed that the descendants of Africans who were slaves had shown remarkable resiliency in spite of the tragedy.
He continued, “From that tragedy arose remarkable resilience, creativity, and cultural brilliance that continue to influence the world today.”
Additionally, President Mahama emphasised the significance of fostering closer links between Ghana and Caribbean countries, characterising them as branches of the same ancestry.
He noted that the visit represented a historic link between Africa and the Caribbean and welcomed Terrance Drew, the prime minister of Saint Kitts & Nevis, to the festivities.
“Your visit and our bilateral engagements represent more than just diplomacy. They signify a historic reconnection between Ghana and our brothers and sisters in the Caribbean,” he stated.
Ghana’s leadership on the issue, according to President Mahama, is in line with its historic status as the first nation in sub-Saharan Africa to achieve independence in 1957.
“Ghana, the first sub-Saharan African nation to gain independence, will once again lead the global call for dignity and restoration,” he said.
In order to achieve justice, unity, and development, the President expressed confidence that Africa and the diaspora will keep stepping up their cooperation.
Source: newsthemegh.com
