By Hafsa Obeng, GNA
Accra, July 24, GNA – Mr Yusif Issaka Jajah, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has called on Africans and people of African descent to draw inspiration from the sacrifices of their forebears to build a stronger, united and prosperous continent.
The ideals of freedom, unity and service championed by Ghana’s founding President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, remained relevant in advancing Pan-Africanism and strengthening the enduring bonds between Africa and its global diaspora, he noted.
Mr Jajah made the call at the 2026 Emancipation Day wreath-laying ceremony at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra on Thursday, on the theme: “Reconnecting Roots, Celebrating Freedom, Experience Ghana.”
The ceremony formed part of activities marking this year’s Emancipation Day celebration, honouring victims of the transatlantic slave trade and celebrating the resilience of Africans and their descendants.
Mr Jajah said the theme reflected Dr Nkrumah’s vision of a united Africa and underscored Ghana’s commitment to preserving its shared history while promoting stronger ties with people of African descent across the world.
“It is a call to remember our past, celebrate our resilience and build our future. A future founded on unity, dignity, and shared prosperity,” he said.
The Deputy Minister said Emancipation Day was a significant event on Ghana’s national calendar, noting that it served as a reminder of one of humanity’s darkest chapters while celebrating the triumph of the human spirit over oppression and injustice.
He said the annual observance honoured the countless men, women and children who endured slavery, including those who lost their lives during the transatlantic slave trade.
Mr Jajah reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to preserving Ghana’s heritage sites, promoting authentic cultural experiences and positioning the country as the preferred destination for heritage, cultural and diaspora tourism.
He expressed appreciation to development partners, traditional authorities, institutions, and the African diaspora for supporting the annual commemoration, describing it as a symbol of remembrance, reconciliation and renewal.
Mrs Maame Efua Houadjeto, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), urged Africans to uphold the spirit of unity envisioned by Dr Kwame Nkrumah by rejecting xenophobia and all forms of discrimination on the continent.
While previous generations fought to end slavery, the current generation must ensure that hatred, intolerance, exclusion and division did not create new forms of bondage, she added.
“There can be no foreigner in Africa. The African who crosses a border in search of opportunity, education, refuge or a better future is not an outsider but our brother or sister,” she said.
Mrs Houadjeto recalled Africa’s solidarity with South Africa during the anti-apartheid struggle, saying the same spirit should continue to define relations among African countries.
The greatest tribute to the continent’s ancestors would be the creation of a united Africa where every African, regardless of nationality, language or place of birth, was welcomed with dignity and protected by justice, she said.
The GTA Chief Executive reiterated the Authority’s commitment to preserving and promoting Ghana’s heritage sites through initiatives such as the ‘Year of Return’, ‘Beyond the Return’ and the ‘Black Star Experience’.
She described the initiatives as platforms for reconciliation, healing, investment and cultural exchange that continued to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
Mrs Houadjeto urged Africans to work together to build a continent founded on cooperation, shared identity and mutual respect, saying future generations deserved a united Africa.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
Reporter: Hafsa Obeng