‎Ghana must preserve slave trade sites, teach history honestly – Prof Naana Jane

By: Godless Asaana
‎The Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, has called for the full preservation and honest interpretation of Ghana’s forts, castles and other historical sites associated with the transatlantic slave trade.
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‎‎Speaking during Slavery Memorial Service held at Oguaa Fetu Afahye Festival in Cape Coast on Saturday September 5, 2026, She said the sites, which form an important part of Ghana’s history and the global legacy of the slave trade, must be protected while their history is accurately documented and taught to future generations.
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‎“Ghana is the custodian of some of the most significant surviving sites associated with the transatlantic slave trade. Cape Coast Castle and other forts, castles and sites must be fully preserved and honestly interpreted,” she said.
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‎Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the preservation of the sites must be accompanied by relevant education to ensure that the history of the transatlantic slave trade is properly reflected in Ghana’s knowledge systems.
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‎“Education, relevant education is part of the responsibility. This history should be reflected accurately in our knowledge systems and encourage countries to integrate reparatory justice into their education broadly conceived in all its different forms,” she stated.
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‎She noted that Ghana had in June renewed its commitment to efforts aimed at preserving forts and castles along the coasts of Africa and the Caribbean, stressing the need for sustained action to protect the historical heritage.
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‎The Vice President said young people must be equipped with a proper understanding of how the transatlantic slave trade operated and the profound impact it had on societies on both sides of the Atlantic.
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‎“Our young people should understand how the trade operated, how it shaped societies on both sides of the Atlantic and why its consequences remain part of international discussion today,” she added.
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‎She said preserving the memory of the slave trade was not only about protecting physical structures but also about ensuring that future generations understood the historical injustices and their continuing implications.
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‎The memorial service in Cape Coast formed part of activities commemorating the painful history of slavery while reinforcing calls for preservation, education and reparatory justice.