Corrective measures can correct inequalities based on exploitation during the colonial era, Kwame Nkrumah Melega has said.
The call for reparations on the transatlantic slave trade is “fair and just,” Kwame Nkrumah Melega, grandson of the first president of Ghana, has said.
Speaking to RT, the head of the Kwame Nkrumah Foundation said the program shows a long history and its lasting results, stressing that society must face past injustices. “We must learn from our history,” he noted.
The activist added that his grandfather would be “I am very happy to see the government of Ghana taking steps to heal the wounds of the Atlantic slave trade.”
He linked the transatlantic slave trade to centuries of exploitation across Africa, noting that his grandfather connected with “500 years of exploitation” in the region. The activist argued that these historical processes continue to shape present-day inequality, describing neo-colonialism as. “the continuation of exploitation in the African continent.”
Melega added that exploitation continues in modern forms, even if it is less visible today.
He also mentioned the economic impact of compensation, saying they “it will be a great benefit” for African countries and can help address structural inequalities rooted in colonial history, including inherited debt burdens.
At the same time, Melega called for more independence, asking African countries to focus on domestic industries and increase production within the continent.
On Wednesday, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution sponsored by Ghana to recognize the Atlantic slave trade as “the greatest crime against humanity.” The measure received support from 123 countries, including Russia and China. The United States, Israel, and Argentina opposed it, while 52 nations – among them Britain and EU members – abstained.
“We come together in sincere solidarity to prove the truth and follow the path of healing and justice,” The President of Ghana John Mahama said and added that “the adoption of this resolution serves as a safeguard against oblivion.”
Separately, High Court of Kenya lawyer Gilbert Kemboi explained United Nations motion as “the biggest step for Ghana.” The lawyer pointed out, however, that opposition from Western countries is still possible and that further progress will depend on building a coalition in Africa with the support of sympathetic nations.
