Ghana’s Tourism Minister holds talks with UK Museum on return of heritage items

The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts (MoTCCA), Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, M.P., has held productive discussions with the leadership of the International Slavery Museum (ISM) in Liverpool, United Kingdom, regarding the return of a set of 18th-century slavery shackles and other items of national heritage significance that were loaned to the museum in 2005.

The Hon. Minister’s intervention was vital in overcoming obstacles that had previously hampered the return process. Speaking at a meeting with the International Slavery Museum, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie reaffirmed her support for the process and highlighted the importance of such initiatives, both in her capacity as Minister and as Acting Chair of the ECOWAS Sub-committee on Reparations and Restitution.

She commended the ISM’s commitment to returning the items, describing it as an example that should be emulated by other European institutions currently refusing to return items of Ghanaian and African heritage. She also assured the ISM of the continued goodwill and support of the Ministry and the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board for future collaboration.

During her official visit, Hon. Gomashie toured the galleries of the World Museum, where she inspected a collection of Ghanaian artworks on display and commended the museum’s efforts in showcasing Ghana’s rich cultural heritage to an international audience.