Mahama Explains How Ghana Secured Reparation Justice Resolution at UN: "We Poured Libation"
- Ghana’s resolution declaring the transatlantic slave trade the gravest crime against humanity won majority support at the United Nations
- President John Mahama credited the guidance of ancestors and prayers at African burial grounds for the historic victory
- The resolution called for reparative justice for African nations and descendants of enslaved people
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Ghana's resolution to declare the transatlantic slave trade the gravest crime against humanity won majority support at the United Nations (UN) on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.
Delivering a victory speech, President John Mahama, who championed the reparatory resolution on behalf of the African Union, recounted the events leading up to the UN address.
Source: Facebook
In a widely circulated video, the Ghanaian president stated that they sought the guidance of their ancestors ahead of the reparatory resolution vote.
President Mahama explained that before his speech at the UN on the global recognition of slavery as a crime against humanity, he and his team intentionally visited African burial grounds to pray ahead of tabling the reparatory motion.
"Before we went to the UN, we visited the African burial grounds, and we all know the history behind them. We offered Christian prayers, Muslim prayers, and traditional African prayers, poured libation, and called on our ancestors to support us in what we were about to do. I believe they answered our call, and we achieved success," he said.
He added that the reparatory resolution at the UN is not only symbolic but also an honor and a tribute to the ancestors who endured centuries of brutality, displacement, and dehumanization.
"Our ancestors must be rejoicing in their graves. Despite all the torture and adversity they endured, they must be happy that the world has recognized this day," he said.
Watch the Facebook video below:
How nations voted on Ghana's reparatory motion
At the end of the vote, 123 nations supported the resolution, 3 voted against it, and 52 abstained.
Read also
Ghana makes history, wins UN vote to declare slave trade the gravest crime against humanity
The three dissenting nations were the United States, Argentina, and Israel, while EU countries made up the majority of abstentions.
Countries like the UK have long rejected paying reparations, arguing that present-day nations and institutions cannot be held responsible for past wrongs.
Read the Facebook post below:
The motion, presented on March 25, 2026, called for a renewed international commitment to reparative justice for African nations and the descendants of enslaved people.
It urged UN member states to engage in structured dialogue and concrete actions aimed at acknowledging and addressing the enduring social, economic, and cultural impacts of slavery.
Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa celebrated the victory on Facebook, saying Ghana "did it for Africa and all people of African descent."
Speaking at a press briefing on the sidelines of the vote, the minister described the resolution as a moment of truth for the international community.
"Through this resolution, the world has spoken the truth... We can't change history, but we can change how it is told going forward," he said.
Source: UGC
Mahama criticises Trump over black history
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that President Mahama had slammed the Donald Trump administration for its handling of black history and accused it of normalising the erasure of the past.
He said certain policies by the United States of America are becoming a template for other governments, as well as some private institutions.
The Ghanaian president further stated that black history courses were being removed from school curricula and institutions were being mandated to stop teaching the truth of slavery.
Source: YEN.com.gh
