By Ernest Nutsugah, GNA
Accra, June 11, GNA – A 25-member committee of experts have begun deliberations towards the production of the fourth edition of the Encyclopedia Africana, a comprehensive resource on African life and history.
The project, adopted as a flagship initiative under the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063, seeks to document, preserve and promote African history, cultures, traditions, and contributions to global civilisation from an African perspective.
The three-day workshop opened on Wednesday, at Peduase in the Eastern Region, bringing together scholars, scientists, researchers and professionals from the continent and the diaspora to discuss the conceptual framework, thematic structure, and editorial standards.
Held on the theme: “Africa’s Contribution to Science, Technology and Innovation,” the meeting also seeks to develop a continental contributor database and approve timelines and implementation plans.
Speaking on behalf of the Education Minister, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Professor Osman Tahidu Damba, Secretary-General of the Ghana Commission for UNESCO, said the Encyclopedia Africana was relevant in modern times as the idea was first conceived by Dr Kwame Nkrumah and Pan-African activist, W.E.B. Du Bois, in the 1960s.
Describing it as one of the most enduring Pan-African intellectual projects, he noted that Volume IV of the Encyclopaedia Africana would document both historical and contemporary achievements, correct misconceptions, and inspire future generations, as contemporary Africans continued to make significant contributions across sectors and industries.
“The story of African science and technology is not confined to the past… across the continent Africans are developing solutions to local and global challenges…
“Volume IV of Encyclopaedia Africana will not only correct historical distortons but illustrate the depth of African scientific and technological achievements to inspire ambitions and encourage innovation,” he stated, reaffirming the Government’s commitment to supporting the project.
Ambassador Amr Aljowaily, Director of the Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (CIDO) of the African Union Commission, outlined progress made in establishing the Pan-African Scientific Committee, explaining that the Encyclopaedia reflected the continent’s commitment to documenting and celebrating its scientific heritage through rigorous scholarship.
He linked the project to the African Union’s reparative justice agenda, arguing that the legacies of slavery, colonialism, and apartheid continued to shape global knowledge systems and that Africa must pursue material reparations and the restoration of African knowledge, achievements, and intellectual contributions.
“By documenting Africa’s contribution to science, technology and innovation, this Volume Four will help correct empirical distortions in global knowledge production and affirming Africa as a producer of ideas, methods, and discoveries,” he said.
Professor Emeritus Ivan Addae-Mensah, Chairperson of the Pan-African Scientific Committee (PASC), highlighted political and financial challenges, which caused the production of only three editions in the last 65 years.
He emphasised the essence of investing in science, technology, research, and innovation, and urged participants to remain committed throughout the research, writing, editing, and fact-checking processes to ensure the final product met the highest international standards.
“Africa’s story has either never been told or told by non-Africans from a distorted perspective, hence the need for Africa to go back to the dream of Kwame Nkrumah and W.E.B Dubois, tell her own stories and chart new pathways for the recognition of its contributions to world scientific and technological development,” Prof Addae-Mensah said.
He expressed gratitude to the Government and the African Union for providing the resources and institutional support needed to begin the production of Volume IV of the Encyclopaedia.
Mr Christian Dovi, Director of the Encyclopaedia Africana Project (EAP) Secretariat, said the publication would become Africa’s authoritative repository of knowledge and a lasting intellectual monument projecting the achievements of Africans.
“Encyclopaedia Africana is more than a collection of articles; it is a declaration that African knowledge matters and that African achievements deserve global recognition,” he stated, and encouraged participants to approach their work as scholars and custodians of Africa’s memory and future.
Mr Dovi expressed confidence that the session would move the project closer to producing a volume worthy of Africa’s rich scientific, technological, and innovative heritage.
Nana Osei Kyeretwie, Head of Programmes, African Union ECOSOCC, emphasised the importance of reclaiming African history as the continent’s history was being distorted and marginalised.
“If Africans do not actively preserve and document their own history, they risk contributing to its erasure,” he stated, describing the Encyclopaedia Africana as a strategic instrument for safeguarding African memory and narratives.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Writer: Ernest Nutsugah
email: [email protected]