President John Dramani Mahama has announced that Ghana will submit a motion to the United Nations declaring slavery and the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crimes against humanity, while also honouring all leaders who have shaped the nation since independence.

Delivering an address at Ghana’s 69th Independence Day celebration on March 6, President Mahama emphasised the role of past leaders in building Ghana’s democracy and guiding the country to its current position of stability and progress.

“Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and all others who have led this country after him, all of them have been a part of our history and have brought us to this moment in our lives. Every administration, regardless of its political inclination, has played its part in building the nation we all proudly call Ghana.”

He praised the Ghanaian people for upholding democratic values through peaceful power transfers and constructive political competition.

“Our democracy has endured because we've learned to compete without destroying, to disagree without hatred, and to transfer power peacefully, which is evidence of the maturity and the wisdom of the Ghanaian people.”

Welcoming the Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Terrance Drew, the President highlighted Ghana’s historic connection with the Caribbean.

“Your visits and our bilateral engagements represent more than just diplomacy. They signify a historic reconnection between Ghana and our brothers and sisters in the Caribbean, branches of the same ancestral tree.”

Reflecting on the dark history of slavery, he acknowledged the resilience and creativity of African descendants worldwide.

“The dungeons of the Cape Coast and Elmina castles remind us of the dark chapters of history when millions of Africans were forcibly transported across the Middle Passage to the so-called New World. Yet from that tragedy arose the remarkable resilience, creativity, and cultural brilliance that continue to influence the world.”

He confirmed that Ghana’s UN motion will call for justice and restitution for the descendants of those enslaved.

“Later this month, Ghana will submit a motion to the United Nations declaring slavery and the transatlantic slave trade the gravest crime against humanity. This motion will represent the justice and restitution that is long overdue. Ghana, the first sub-Saharan African nation to gain independence, will once again lead the global call for dignity and restoration.”

He urged Ghanaians to work together toward a just, united, and prosperous nation.