Private legal practitioner, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has emphasised that Ghana’s UN resolution on reparations for the transatlantic slave trade prioritises historical justice and restitution over financial compensation.
Speaking on The Big Issue on Saturday, March 28, which was monitored by Ghanaiainradar, Barker-Vormawor stressed that the resolution aims to acknowledge the past, address the legacy of slavery, and promote knowledge development.
Key aspects include returning African artefacts, investing in education, and researching the impact of slavery.
“The resolution isn’t mainly about money,” he said.
“Focusing on cash compensation risks reinforcing the same monetised logic of slavery.”
He added that the resolution seeks to deepen understanding of how the slave trade shapes global relations today and urges concrete steps to address its enduring social, economic, and cultural consequences.
The resolution, presented by Ghana, calls for renewed global commitment to reparative justice for African nations and descendants of enslaved people. Barker-Vormawor notes that this is about building a more equitable future, not just looking back.
