Pay Akufo-Addo Easter visit for education on reparative justice to guard your pronouncements – Ablakwa to Afenyo-Markin

Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has called on Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin to seek guidance on reparative justice from former President Nana Akufo-Addo.

Speaking at an event on Tuesday, Mr Ablakwa responded to recent remarks by Mr Afenyo-Markin on the subject, insisting that the former President remains well placed to provide insight on the issue.

“I will have only one message for the Minority Leader in Ghana. He should visit the leader of his party, former President His Excellency, Nana Akufo-Addo,” he said.

“He has been a strong advocate for reparative justice. He should pay him a visit.”

Mr Ablakwa further suggested that the Effutu MP use the Easter period to deepen his understanding of the matter.

“He should go during the Easter break. He should sit with him and let former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo educate him on reparatory justice,” he stated. “I think it will do him a world of good before his next pronouncement in Parliament.”

The Minister’s remarks follow comments made by Mr Afenyo-Markin last week, in which he challenged dominant narratives on reparations for transatlantic slavery.

“When somebody berths a vessel at Cape Coast, and you decide to go to the North, Bono area, get to the Ashanti area, and to the Assin area, and you are chasing your strongest among your own people, then after 100 years, you say, ‘I should be compensated’,” Mr Afenyo-Markin remarked.

His position has sparked debate, with critics accusing him of downplaying the role of Western powers in the transatlantic slave trade.

The issue has gained renewed global attention following a recent resolution by the United Nations General Assembly, which recognises transatlantic slavery as a grave crime against humanity and calls for dialogue on reparations, apologies, and compensation.

Although the resolution is not legally binding, it is widely viewed as a significant step in advancing global discussions on historical accountability, despite opposition from the United States and some European countries.