President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama, has boldly told the World leaders at the UN General Assembly that the Slave trade must be recognised as the greatest crime against humanity.
Mahama announced that Ghana is championing a reparations motion and intends to introduce the motion in the August body to that effect.
Speaking at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, September 25, Mahama stated, “The slave trade must be recognised as the greatest crime against humanity. As African Champion on reparations, Ghana intends to introduce a motion in this August body to that effect.
More than twelve and a half million Africans were forcibly taken against their will and transported to create wealth for the powerful Western nations”.
He detailed, “We must demand reparations for the enslavement of our people and the colonisation of our land that resulted in the theft of natural resources, as well as the looting of artefacts and other items of cultural heritage that have yet to be returned in total. We recognise the value of our land and the value of our lives.
As did our coloniser, as well as the governments that happily paid reparations to former slave owners as compensation for the loss of their “property”—that “property” for which compensation was paid referred to enslaved people who had been freed”.
Also, President Mahama further declared that Africa will no longer tolerate the persistent exploitation of its natural resources.
He added, “The days of parcelling out vast concession areas to foreign interests for exploitation must come to an end”.
“We will continue to welcome foreign investment, but we must negotiate better for a bigger share of the natural resources that belong to us.”
“We are tired of the continued image of poverty-stricken, disease-ridden rural communities, living at the periphery of huge foreign-controlled natural resource concession areas. We are tired of having people extract the most they can from us and, in return, offer us the very least by way of respect, consideration, and dignity,” he emphasised.
Additionally, John Dramani Mahama also told the World leaders at the UN General Assembly that the future of the world lies in Africa.
Mahama called for the global community to recognise the continent’s growing importance.
Speaking at the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, September 25, Mahama stated, “As fate would have it, the tables have turned, and Africa’s role in the authorship of whatever is yet to come for this world will be huge, and it will be consequential.
According to this organisation’s own projections, by the year 2050, more than 25% of the world’s population is expected to come from the African continent. Additionally, by 2050, one-third of all young people, aged 15 to 24, will be residing on the African continent.
So, you see, the future is African.
Allow me to say this once again, a little louder for the people in the back. The future is African!”.
President Mahama further detailed, “Already today, Africa is a catalyst for human potential and development, as well as for economic reform and ecological stability. Africa is a catalyst for systemic change. If this reality—which is fact-based and straightforward—seems provocative or unsettling, perhaps it’s because you’re viewing it through the lens of centuries of racism, colonialism, imperialism, and the resulting implicit bias.
Maybe you’re unaware of the resilience of African nations or their remarkable ability to make a strong comeback, just when you think it’s safe to discount them”.