Minister Answers Pan-African Critics

Ghana appreciates the role of Africans in the abolition of Slave Trade
Accra, July 18, GNA -- Ghana appreciates the role of Africans in the abolition of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade and has demonstrated her commitment to project the African personality by institutionalising the Emancipation Day celebrations.

Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and Diasporean Relations, told the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday that the Government was committed to work with other African countries to get Africans fully emancipated.

He noted that Africans were not fully emancipated yet, even though, they had worked hard over the years to help in the abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and said Ghana wanted the 21st century to be called the African Century.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey was reacting to a story posted on the Internet (read) that criticised President John Agyekum Kufuor for paying tribute to Sir William Wilberforce when he opened the Wilberforce Institute in Hull, London, recently.

He said while extolling African pride it was also necessary to recognise the role played by non-Africans in the abolition of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

At the peak of the industrial revolution the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade become economically not viable and people like Sir William used the situation to argue for the Westminster to outlaw the Trade and this must be recognised.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said it was, therefore, not wrong for President Kufuor to recognize Wilberforce's role in the abolition of the Slave Trade.

The Minister said Ghana's celebration of Emancipation Day every year had always recognized the role of Africans in the abolition of the Slave Trade.

"Emancipation seeks to honour our African heroes, who played various roles in the abolition of the Slave Trade," Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said, and called on Ghanaians to actively participate in the celebration of Emancipation Day, which would start on 23 July 2006.