President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to the global campaign for reparatory justice, declaring that reparations and the right of return for people of African descent remain central to addressing the enduring legacy of slavery and colonialism.
Speaking before a Joint Sitting of Jamaica’s Parliament on Tuesday August 4,2026, Mahama said the transatlantic slave trade represented “the gravest crime committed against humanity” and argued that its consequences continue to shape inequality across the world today.
He stressed that the campaign for reparatory justice was not about resentment but about truth, accountability, reconciliation and healing.
Mahama thanked the Government and people of Jamaica for supporting Ghana’s initiatives at the United Nations on reparatory justice and praised the country’s longstanding leadership on the issue.
The President also reiterated Ghana’s full support for Jamaica’s planned petition to King Charles III on slavery, describing it as an important step in the global quest for justice.
Turning to the African diaspora, Mahama declared that repatriation should not be viewed as charity.
“The right of persons of African descent in the diaspora to return to the mother continent is not an act of charity or compassion. Repatriation is a right,” he said.
He highlighted Ghana’s Right of Abode Act and disclosed that the country is considering a new Homeland Return Bill to provide clearer pathways to residence and citizenship for members of the global African family.
Mahama further revealed that, should he assume the Chairmanship of the African Union, he would advocate for every African nation to establish a right of return for people of African descent.
He said such measures would strengthen ties between Africa and its diaspora while advancing the ideals of Pan-Africanism and historical justice.
CREDIT: MAVIS FANTEVI