A member of the New Patriotic Party, Aaron Asiedu-Antwi, has urged the ruling National Democratic Congress to acknowledge the role of former President Nana Akufo-Addo and past leaders in advancing the global reparations agenda.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme, Mr Asiedu-Antwi said it was only fair to recognise contributions across political lines, particularly as the international conversation on reparations gains momentum.
His comments come in the wake of a landmark United Nations resolution backing reparatory justice for victims of the transatlantic slave trade, a move widely supported by African states and championed by president John Dramani Mahama in his role with the African Union.
Mr Asiedu Antwi argued that Ghana’s push for reparations did not begin with any single administration, citing the efforts of the country’s first president Kwame Nkrumah, former president Jerry John Rawlings and former president John Agyekum Kufuor.
He stressed that former President Akufo-Addo’s recent initiatives, including convening continental discussions on reparations, deserved equal recognition.
“Credit must be given where it is due. If someone has done something right, praise him. It takes nothing from you,” he said.
Mr Asiedu Antwi criticised what he described as a pattern of selective acknowledgement, accusing political opponents of downplaying contributions by certain leaders because of partisan considerations.
He maintained that building a strong national position on reparations requires continuity and honesty about the roles played by successive governments.
Source: metrotvonline.com
