Modern museum on transatlantic enslavement to be established in Ghana

Government is set to establish a modern museum dedicated to the history of transatlantic enslavement in Ghana as part of commitments made under the Accra Next Steps initiative.

The proposed museum is expected to preserve the memory of the transatlantic slave trade, honour the experiences of enslaved Africans and serve as a repository for looted cultural artefacts returned to Ghana.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced the initiative in a social media post on Tuesday, June 23, following the recent Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice held in Accra.

"One of the significant deliverables contained in the Accra Next Steps Commitments which was outdoored by President John Mahama is the pledge to establish a modern museum on the transatlantic enslavement in Ghana," Mr Ablakwa wrote.

According to the Foreign Affairs Minister, the facility will serve several purposes, including preserving historical memory, promoting truth-telling and safeguarding artefacts repatriated from foreign institutions.

He noted that the museum would also contribute to economic growth through tourism and employment opportunities.

"This museum shall be dedicated to remembering the transatlantic enslavement, honouring our ancestors, promoting truth telling and fundamentally serving as repository for the thousands of looted artefacts being returned to Ghana," he stated.

Mr Ablakwa added that the project is expected to create jobs and boost Ghana's tourism sector.

He further indicated that the government anticipates a competitive and transparent design process involving Africans and people of African descent.

The announcement forms part of outcomes from the Accra Next Steps Commitments unveiled by President John Dramani Mahama during the Next Steps Conference on Reparatory Justice.

At the opening of the conference on June 18, President Mahama announced the establishment of three expert panels to advance the global campaign for reparatory justice.

The panels will focus on strengthening international cooperation, facilitating the return of cultural artefacts and exploring legal pathways for reparations.

The three-day conference brought together leaders, policymakers and experts from more than 80 countries following a landmark United Nations resolution recognising the transatlantic slave trade and the enslavement of Africans as the gravest crime against humanity.

It came after the adoption of a Ghana-backed resolution at the United Nations which recognized slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity.