'It's about accountability, not sentiment' – Asiedu Nketiah on reparatory justice

National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has stated that Africa's pursuit of reparatory justice is rooted in accountability rather than emotion.

He argued that the legacy of colonialism continues to shape global economic inequalities.

Speaking at the 3rd Standing Committee Meeting of the "For the Freedom of Nations!" Movement in Russia on June 25, 2026, Asiedu Nketiah said meaningful international cooperation cannot be achieved without confronting historical injustices and reforming the global economic system.

"Our fight for reparatory justice is not rooted in sentiment, nor is it about assigning guilt to present generations for the actions of the past. Rather, it is a firm demand for accountability," he said.

Addressing the theme of countering modern neocolonialism, the NDC Chairman argued that Africa's political independence remains incomplete without economic sovereignty.

"True Pan-Africanism cannot exist without economic liberation," he stressed.

Referencing Ghana's first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Asiedu Nketiah said the continent must take greater control of its financial systems, trade policies and natural resources if it is to achieve genuine independence.

"Decades after Dr Kwame Nkrumah cautioned us, political independence remains incomplete if our financial systems, trade regimes and resources are still governed by rules we did not write," he stated.

He further urged African countries to move beyond dependence on raw material exports by embracing industrialisation, technological innovation and value addition to strengthen their economies and competitiveness.

According to Asiedu Nketiah, Ghana is positioning itself at the forefront of international efforts to link reparatory justice with economic sovereignty through diplomacy and policy engagement.

Beyond the main summit, he disclosed that Ghana's delegation held separate engagements at the Legislative Assembly, the Hermitage Museum and the XIV International Legal Forum, where discussions focused on legal and policy approaches to advancing global economic justice.

His remarks come amid growing calls from countries across the Global South for reforms to international financial and trade systems, with advocates maintaining that reparatory justice is essential to achieving a fairer and more equitable global economic order.