The growing debate over reparations for the transatlantic slave trade has taken a new turn, with the Upper East Regional Minister calling for Northern Ghana to be the first beneficiary of any future compensation, arguing that the region suffered the greatest human loss during the slave trade.
The call comes amid renewed national and international attention on reparatory justice following President John Dramani Mahama’s address at the United Nations and the recent high-level meeting of African, regional and global leaders in Accra, where reparations topped the agenda.
Speaking during a meeting with Illinois State Representative Carol Ammons of the United States and the leadership of the Pikworo Slave Camp Board on Wednesday, Upper East Regional Minister Hon. Akamugri Donatus Atanga said the northern territories served as the principal source of captives during the transatlantic slave trade and therefore deserve priority consideration in any future reparations framework.
According to the Minister, the Upper East Region was one of the major slave supply routes, with an estimated eight to nine out of every ten households directly affected by the trade.
“The north was the source of the raw materials,” he said, stressing that the devastating effects of the slave trade continue to echo across generations in Northern Ghana.
Hon. Atanga further urged the government to expand national remembrance events such as Panafest beyond Accra to include Northern Ghana, where many of the historic slave routes and sites remain and where the communities most affected by the trade continue to preserve that painful history.
Illinois State Representative Carol Ammons expressed strong support for slave repatriation and historical reconciliation during the meeting, signalling growing international backing for efforts to address the enduring legacy of the transatlantic slave trade.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
