Accra, March 28, – Members of Parliament from both the Majority and Minority sides have welcomed the United Nations General Assembly resolution recognising the transatlantic slave trade as the gravest crime against humanity and calling for reparations.
The lawmakers described the resolution as a significant global recognition of the historical injustice and suffering endured by Africans who were forcibly taken into slavery and used to build foreign economies.
In separate statements on the floor of Parliament, Madam Emelia Arthur, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture and Member of Parliament for Shama, and Mr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and MP for Ablekuma South, described the resolution as a historic achievement for people of African descent.
They commended generations of Pan-African leaders whose advocacy kept the issue of reparations and historical justice on the global agenda, noting that the recognition was the result of sustained diplomatic and political efforts over the years.
The MPs urged Parliament to treat the resolution as a call to action by promoting unity, economic empowerment and policies that would strengthen local businesses and create employment opportunities for citizens.
They emphasised that the recognition by the international community should not only be symbolic but should translate into meaningful development and opportunities for African countries and their people.
The legislators called on their colleagues to put aside partisan differences and work together to ensure that the legacy of those who suffered under slavery contributed to a stronger and more economically independent nation.
They said the resolution should serve as a rallying point for national unity, investment in local enterprises and the pursuit of economic policies that would improve livelihoods and restore dignity to affected communities.
GNA
Kenneth Odeng Adade
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