Month: July 2025

Pupils in the Upper East Region have brought renewed urgency to the demand for reparative justice through a powerful stage play. The performance, staged by Rovega Preparatory School, depicted the brutal reality of the transatlantic slave trade and its lingering effects on African lives and history.

Held at the historic Pikworo Slave Camp in Paga, Nania, the drama formed part of this year’s PANAFEST/Emancipation Day celebrations. The pupils showcased how deception and betrayal led to the forced enslavement of African ancestors by European traders. The performance highlighted the transformation of initial hospitality into horror, as the arrival of the traders ended in chains, beatings, and forced migration.

Using dramatic expression, the students recreated scenes showing how figures like Daggaw from Mali, along with Samori and Babatu from Burkina Faso, collaborated with European enslavers. Their actions, as portrayed by the pupils, left lasting scars—both physical and psychological—that continue to shape African societies today.

The Pikworo Slave Camp itself was a critical part of this history. Established in 1704, it served as a holding and auction site before captives were sent to the Salaga Slave Market, and eventually to coastal ports for shipment to Europe.

The pupils’ emotionally charged reenactment served as a reminder of the trauma endured and the enduring legacy of slavery. Audience members were visibly moved, as the performance stirred deep reflection on Africa’s past and its call for justice.

This year’s event was themed “Let us Speak of Reparative Justice – Pan African Artistic Activism.” Organised by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) with the support of regional authorities and cultural leaders, the celebration also featured vibrant dance and art displays from across the region.

Speakers at the event urged Africans to take ownership of their history. They emphasised the importance of using cultural heritage to educate and inspire action. The day’s message centred on truth, healing, and the need for a shared global push for justice and accountability.

The event also highlighted the Pikworo Slave Camp’s role as a sacred heritage site. Calls were made for its redevelopment to attract more tourists and contribute to regional economic growth.

ActionAid Ghana has handed over five mechanised boreholes and five urinal facilities to public basic schools in the Northern Region. The move aims to boost access to clean water and sanitation in underserved schools.

The beneficiary schools include Kalariga Saqafat Islamic Primary, Kpanvo Islamic Primary, Kulnyevila Primary, Dimala Zion Primary, and Gbarima M/A Primary. These schools, located in the Tamale Metropolitan and Sagnarigu Municipal Assemblies, are expected to serve hundreds of pupils with clean water and improved hygiene facilities.

At the handover ceremony, ActionAid stated that this intervention is part of its broader commitment to promoting the health and well-being of children through improved Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure. The goal is to support children’s right to a clean and safe learning environment.

Speaking on behalf of the Northern Regional Programme Manager, Mrs. Beatrice Yanman emphasised the importance of hygiene in schools. She said many basic schools lack clean water and functioning toilets. Where facilities exist, they are often broken, shared by both sexes, or far from the school compound.

She noted that poor sanitation forces some girls to miss up to four days of school every month during their menstrual cycle. This, she explained, undermines their right to education and violates provisions in Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.

Mrs. Yanman called on school leaders to maintain the new facilities and urged communities to take ownership. She said that healthy children stay in school, and clean water is a vital part of that equation.

Dabokpa Circuit Education Director, Alhaji Mahamadu Issahaka, thanked ActionAid for its support of school development in the region. The Chief of Kalariga, Abdul Rahaman Zakaria, also expressed the community’s gratitude for the donation.

Issahaku Waris, a 31-year-old man, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for defiling a five-year-old girl in Wa Zongo in the Upper West Region. The sentence was delivered by the Wa Circuit Court on Friday, July 18, 2025, under the authority of His Lordship Jonathan Avogo.

The incident happened on Thursday, April 24, 2025. Waris was arrested two days later, on April 26, by officers from the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service.

According to the Upper West Regional Police Command, the arrest and subsequent trial were made possible through a careful investigation. The support of the victim’s family and community members played a crucial role in the process.

Deputy Regional Police Commander Peter Kwamena Kamasa noted that the Command remains vigilant in addressing crimes involving children and urges the public to report such cases without hesitation. He also emphasised that protecting children’s rights is not only a law enforcement duty but a shared responsibility for all members of society.

The case has sent shockwaves through Wa Zongo, highlighting the urgent need for vigilance and stronger community involvement in safeguarding children from abuse.

Farmlands Under Siege

In Tumtumba, part of the Bole-Bamboi Municipality, illegal miners have invaded farmlands. Farmers say they’ve been pushed off lands they’ve worked on for years.

Threats Silence Communities

Residents tried to stop the destruction but were met with death threats. Community leaders say the threats have forced them into silence and fear.

Political Cover Alleged

Locals accuse some political party executives of protecting the miners. These operations involve both Ghanaian and Chinese nationals, according to residents.

Black Volta Under Threat

The Yonkamba Stream, a key tributary of the Black Volta, has been blocked for illegal mining. What was once a clean water source is now sludge, unusable for farming or drinking.

Farming Grinds to a Halt

With streams polluted and farmlands taken over, farmers are struggling to grow crops. Many now face food insecurity and loss of income.

A Call to the President

Frustrated and desperate, the people of Tumtumba are calling on the President to act. They want immediate intervention to protect the land, water, and livelihoods in his hometown.