The Bank of Ghana is facing criticism over the portrait on the new GH¢50 note, following claims that the image is not that of Theodosia Okoh, the designer of Ghana’s national flag.

The GH¢50 note is part of the new Heritage Series unveiled on Thursday, November 12, 2026, by President John Mahama and Bank of Ghana Governor Dr Johnson Asiama at Bank Square in Accra.

The Bank said the note is dedicated to Theodosia Okoh, who designed Ghana’s red, gold and green flag with the black star in 1957.

However, critics say the picture on the note is not Okoh, but her sister.

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin raised the allegation at a press conference on Thursday evening, hours after the unveiling, before a family member of Theodosia Okoh corroborated the claim.

The Minority Leader accused the government of rushing the redesign of the currency to erase the Big Six from Ghana’s history, arguing that the haste had resulted in an error on the GH¢50 note.

“In fact, they were in haste to erase the Big Six from our currency and our history. Out of that haste and hate, we saw them adorning a new fifty-cedi note bearing the name of Theodosia Okoh, but they got her picture wrong and placed on the GH₵50 note a different face,” he said.

He said the alleged error reflected broader carelessness in the handling of national symbols and public policy.

His comments sparked debate on social media, with many Ghanaians comparing the portrait on the note to known photographs of Theodosia Okoh.

The allegation was later corroborated by Dr Eddie Obeng MBA, who said Theodosia Okoh was his mother’s sister.

In a post on LinkedIn, accompanied by front and back images of the new GH¢50 note, Obeng said he had initially been proud to hear that his aunt had been honoured, only to realise that the face on the note was not hers, but rather that of his mother.

“I have a wry smile on my face that won't go away, and occasionally I shake my head or giggle. So, I heard this morning that my aunt had been honoured in a new series of issued banknotes in Ghana - she's famous there for designing the country's flag after independence from Britain. I was very proud and began composing a message to my cousin. Imagine my surprise when I took a look and realised that they have used a picture of my mother instead - she's famous for being the country's first lady PhD. You can't make it up,” he wrote.

His mother, Dr Letitia Obeng, is Ghana’s first female scientist and the first woman to earn a PhD in the country. She is also the sister of Theodosia Okoh.

The post has since gone viral, with commentators saying it challenges the suggestion that the portrait is simply a stylised image of Theodosia Okoh.

A clarification attributed to Beatrice Annan, a director of the Bank of Ghana and Presidential Staffer, has also been circulating on social media.

In a post on her Facebook page on Thursday night, Annan wrote: “The Bank of Ghana has noted discussions on social media about the portrait of Mrs Theodosia Salome Okoh, designer of Ghana’s national flag, on the new GH₵50 Heritage Series banknote.”

She further explained that the portrait was an engraved artistic rendering rather than an ordinary photograph, and that the Bank had worked with three authentic photographs of Mrs Okoh to create the image.

“A banknote portrait is not an ordinary photograph. It is an engraved artistic rendering created to meet the strict technical requirements of banknote printing. It must be sharp, well lit and rich in fine detail so that it can be engraved, reproduced in raised print and incorporate the security features that protect the note against counterfeiting.

“The Bank worked from three authentic photographs of Mrs Okoh, two from her younger years and one from later life. These were used to create a single portrait presenting her as a mature woman while retaining a faithful family resemblance. Her hairstyle was also adjusted to align with the family’s style and provide a clear outline suitable for engraving.

“The aim throughout was to produce a bold, clear and dignified image worthy of her place in our history. The result is the portrait featured on the GH₵50 Heritage Series banknote. The Bank is engaging her family to explain the careful work that went into creating the portrait and resolve the issue.”

However, several hours after Annan's Facebook post, the Bank of Ghana had neither shared a similar statement on any of its official platforms nor directly responded to the claims by the Minority Leader and Eddie Obeng that the wrong picture of Theodosia Okoh had been used.

This has left many social media users questioning whether the statement posted on Annan’s personal Facebook page represents her personal view or the official position of the Central Bank.

Ghanaians are now waiting to see whether the Bank of Ghana will issue a fuller, direct response to the concerns raised by the Minority Leader and the family of Theodosia Okoh.



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