Why George Floyd’s memorial service was held in Ghana - GTA boss explains

The Year of Return Committee in partnership with the African Union of Diasporan Forum last week laid wreaths in memory of George Floyd at the DuBois Centre in Accra.

This follows a petition sent to the U.S. Embassy on June 1 calling for the safety of members of the black community in the United States.

Speaking in a virtual discussion on the second edition of the GMA Webinar Series on the impact of COVID-19 on the events and hospitality industries, Ghana Tourism Authority boss, Akwasi Agyeman explained that;

“It really would have been improper that a country that only a few months ago was inviting the African diaspora to come and be part of the return will look unconcerned and so when we were approached by the diasporan Forum to assist with presenting a petition to the U.S. Embassy, we followed up with a wreath-laying ceremony.”

“During George Floyd’s memorial service in Houston, Ghana and President Akufo-Addo were acknowledged publicly and indeed the global audience knew that Ghana was the place to go if you are an African in the diaspora. We had to do it because we needed to show solidarity to our brethren. Again, being a pan-African nation and one which has had our president invite them to come to our country, we couldn’t have looked unconcerned,” he added.

The family of the murdered African-American expressed their gratitude to President Akufo-Addo and the people of Ghana for mourning with them.

A resolution read by social impact leader and CEO of Ivy Inc. Ivy McGregor appreciated Ghana’s solidarity with the family.



She also expressed the family’s gratitude that Ghana stands with the struggle “to change the status quo of racism and prejudice.”

“The family is deeply moved by the generous act by the Ghanaian government,” she added.

Mr. Floyd was killed on May 25 at Minneapolis, Minnesota in the US.

He died after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, pressed his knee to Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds during an arrest.

After a video of the incident went viral, with Floyd crying “I can’t breathe,” anti-racial protests started from Minneapolis and quickly spread throughout the US and Europe.

All officers involved in the infamous arrest have been charged with murder and abetment of murder.