The Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has announced that Ghana will establish a permanent government office dedicated to reparations and diaspora affairs.
She said this at the closing ceremony of the 2025 Diaspora Summit in Accra on Saturday.
The Vice President stated that the office will coordinate the nation’s push for reparatory justice. that fulfills President John Dramani Mahama’s role as the African Union’s lead on the issue.
She called the move a “deliberate commitment” to advance material claims for people of African descent.
“Ghana intends to make a permanent home for this work,” she noted.
Prof. Opoku Agyemang confirmed the diaspora’s new status as Ghana’s “17th region.” adding that the designation moves beyond symbolism to formalize political and economic inclusion.
The two-day summit centered on reparations, investment, and historical justice stating these conversations revealed reparations as a political and economic imperative, not only a moral one. “This requires structure, persistence, and credible leadership,” she added.
The Vice President described domestic policy anchors for diaspora participation, citing programs such as “Feed Ghana” and the “24-hour economy” as specific entry points for investment and collaboration, and linked these efforts to the government’s “Reset Ghana” economic strategy.
She reported progress on national economic stability citing reduced inflation, a strengthening currency, and rebuilt reserves and described these as necessary baseline conditions for investors and partners.
Prof. Opoku Agyemang drawing from her academic research on the transatlantic slave trade, she connected history to current policy.
“The past is not a closed chapter,” arguing for sustained action to address enduring legacies.
The Vice President pledged to convert summit dialogue into actionable partnerships.
Joyce Adwoa Animia Ocran, ISD
