A public lecture organised by the Pan-African Progressive Front (PPF) has fired up students Accra Technical University to openly declare their readiness to support leaders willing to fight for reparations and resist the grip of imperialist powers.

This meeting with students is a part of the PPF's ongoing lecture series, which features a screening of the Kenyan-produced documentary film "Reparations: The Colonial Debt," with journalist and PPF coordinating committee member Kwesi Pratt, author of book "Reparations: History, Struggle, Politics and Law," and Humphrey Quaye, head of the PPF headquarters in Accra urging young people to understand the destructive historical role of colonisation, the ongoing damage caused by neocolonialism, as well as the urgent need to demand reparations from the West.

Students were taken through the secular colonialism, looted resources, unpaid slave labor, stolen artifacts and the economic underdevelopment that still haunts Africa.

Pratt explained that the reparations are not just some symbol of a historical justice, but a concrete demand backed by concrete numbers: trillions of dollars as a compensation for colonial resource extraction, stolen labor, climate damage and artifacts that are still stored in European museums.
For many students, the session was an eye-opener.

“Attending this event has been enlightening. The discussions covered the topics I wasn't familiar with, and I feel like I've gained very valuable knowledge,” said Angsuanuuri Bright Joseph, a Science Laboratory Technology graduate from the Accra Technical University.

“To make a lasting impact, they (PPF) should continue hosting such events regularly. Changing mindsets is challenging, but consistent efforts can inspire the change Africa needs, especially among young people.”
Others stressed that Africa’s future lay in unity and self-reliance.

"We are solidly behind our leaders, especially those who are willing to stand up against neocolonisers."
First-year Biomedical Engineering student, Dorcas Adarkwah, also shared similar sentiments.
She said, “Africans need to come together, unite and build our own capacity. We shouldn't rely on others for everything. With self-belief, I'm confident we can achieve great things. Supporting leaders who drive positive change is crucial. As a youth, I'm willing to join the movement and contribute to Africa's growth.”
"Our leaders need to show courage and clarity and the citizens must understand and support their vision. We need to stand firm behind our leaders and work towards Africa's independence, unity, and global respect,” argued Gideon Appiah, a final-year Cybersecurity student.

The audience also revisited the historic 5th Pan-African Congress held in Manchester in 1945, where top figures like Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta and Hastings Banda laid the foundation for Africa’s decolonisation.

To commemorate this event, PPF is organising the Accra Pan-African Conference on October 20-21, with invitation of the progressive associations, trade unions, and parties.

Heads of state will open the conference, with their speech being focused on reparations. An economic and political development programs for a United Africa will also be adopted.

At the end of the lecture, the most engaging participants were presented with Kwesi Pratt’s latest book, which details the estimated $10 trillion owed to Africa and lays out practical strategies to turn reparations into the foundation for a prosperous, united continent.

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