Ghana: Press spotlights President’s call for reparation, others

APA – Accra (Ghana)
President Akufo-Addo’s declaration that the call for reparation is not a plea for arms but a valid demand for justice is one of the leading stories in the Ghanaian press on Wednesday.
The Ghanaian Times reports that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said that the call for reparation is not a plea for arms but a valid demand for justice.
According to him, if reparations could rightfully be paid to the descendants of the victims of the holocaust, then it was only just and fair that same was paid to the descendants of the victims of the slave trade.
“Reparations for Africa and Africa Diaspora are long overdue. Predictably the question of reparation only becomes a subject of debate when it comes to Africa and Africans. When British ended slavery, all the owners of the enslaved Africans received reparation to the tune of some £20 million, the equivalent today of some £20bil¬lion, but the enslaved Africans themselves did not receive a penny. Likewise, in the United States of America owners of slaves received $300 to every slave they owned but the slaves themselves received nothing,” he stated.
President Akufo-Addo who was speaking at the opening of the Accra Reparations Conference (ARC 2023) said there was no question about the issue of reparations when it comes to Africa.
The conference conveyed under the auspices of the Africa Union was under the theme: “Building a united front to advance the cause of Justice and the Payment of Reparations to African.
It was attended by the Chairperson of the African Union and President of the Union of Comoros, Azali Assoumani; President of the Republic of Togo, Faure Essozimna Gnassigbe, and President of the Republic of Guinea Bissau, Umaro Mokhtar Sissoco Embaló.
The rest were the Prime Minister of Burundi, Gervais Ndirakobuca; chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat and the leader of the British Reparations Move-ment and British-Ghanaian Member of the United Kingdom Parliament, Bell Ribeiro-Addy.
The newspaper says that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said that his government will continuously support the country’s creative arts industry as a potent force for wealth creation.
Emphasising the sector’s robust potential to transfom the economy through job creation, he said the government was committed to backing initiatives aimed at its enhancement.
The President made the assertion yesterday at the launch of a project dubbed: ‘Creation Africa Ghana,’ which is part of a broader project for 15 African countries including Ghana, South Africa, Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Chad, and Togo.
The primary objective of the initiative, which is being undertak¬en by the government of France, is to foster the integration of cultural and creative actors and creators into economic sectors to bridge the gap between artistry and entrepreneurship.
It also seeks to create opportunities for creators and entrepreneurs to participate in influential events on the African continent and in Europe.
President Akufo-Addo commended the government of France for choosing Ghana as the first port of call for the project, adding that it would go a long way to support existing talents in the creative arts sector whiles creating employment and growing businesses.
“We are grateful that the first port of call for this laudable initiative is Ghana. We have a viable creative art industry and I strongly believe that this project will contribute significantly to job creation and fostering a sense of pride and unity among Ghanaians and Africans at large,” he added.
The Graphic reports that inflation in Ghana has witnessed a significant decline for the third consecutive month, reaching a 14-month low of 35.2% in October.
This marks a substantial reduction from the figures of 38.1% in September and 40.1% in August, according to data released by the Ghana Statistical Service.
Government Statistician, Samuel Kobina Annim, announced on Tuesday in Accra that the decrease was primarily attributed to a notable reduction in food prices during the period from September to October 2023. The annual inflation rate showed a cooling trend, dropping to 35.2% from 38.1% in September.
The early release of the inflation data was prompted by the upcoming announcement of the 2024 budget by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta on November 15.
Year-on-year inflation for October 2023 at 35.2% is 2.9 percentage points lower than the rate recorded in September 2023 (38.1%). Additionally, month-on-month inflation for October 2023 was 0.6%, reflecting a 1.3 percentage points downward change.
Notable disparities were observed in the inflation rates between food and non-food items. Food inflation stood at 44.8%, showing a reduction of 4.6 percentage points from September, while non-food inflation decreased by 1.6 percentage points to 27.7%.
Further analysis revealed that locally imported items experienced an inflation rate of 34.4%, which was 2.6 percentage points lower than imported items, registering 37.0%.
The newspaper says that the Speaker of Parliament has called for the firming up of a regulatory framework that protects religious rights and freedom of individuals, and defines the responsibilities of publicly-financed institutions, particularly in the context of elementary and secondary education.
Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin said the recent tension between religious groups and school regulations was a testament to the urgency of such regulatory framework.
For instance, he said, reports of schools interfering with the religious freedoms of students, such as some schools barring Muslim students from fasting, had highlighted the need for a comprehensive framework that guaranteed the rights of all students, irrespective of their religious beliefs.
Launching the Ghana Parliamentary Caucus on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Accra yesterday, Mr Bagbin referenced the two Rastafarian students who were asked to cut their dreadlocks before being admitted to the Achimota School.
“Although this is a sensitive topic, we cannot shy away from these difficult and controversial discussions, if we want to move forward and create a society that respects everyone’s right to practise his or her religion.
“The proposed framework, which has been under development since 2021, is a crucial step towards ensuring that every student has access to education without compromising their religious convictions,” he said.
The caucus will bring together interested Members of Parliament to work with faith leaders, civil society organisations and other bodies to promote a peaceful and tolerant society.
The event, which was organised by the African Centre for Parliamentary Affairs and its partners, brought together some parliamentarians and religious leaders fromThe Gambia, Sierra Leone and Malawi, where similar bodies have been set up.
GIK/APA