Upper East Regional Minister calls for unity through Pan Africanism at Panafest 2025
He said while the transatlantic slave trade officially ended many years ago, its legacies continue to affect African societies today, calling for collective effort to overcome these challenges.
The Upper East Regional Minister Donatus Akamugri Atanga has called on Africans and people of African descent to use the 2025 Panafest and Emancipation Day celebrations to strengthen unity, and reflect on their shared history, while working towards sustainable development.
Speaking at a durbar held at the historic Pikworo Slave Camp in Paga on July19, the minister urged participants to see the occasion as more than a memorial, but as a call to build a stronger future anchored in dignity, justice, and inclusiveness.
“As we gather here to commemorate this sacred festival in the tourism calendar, let’s all see this day as a moment of remembrance, of healing, and of reconnection with our beloved families in Ghana and across the globe.”
He said while the transatlantic slave trade officially ended many years ago, its legacies continue to affect African societies today, calling for collective effort to overcome these challenges.
“As we mark this year’s celebration, let us remind ourselves that the legacies of slavery, colonialism, and injustice are still prevalent despite the fact these atrocities officially ended many years ago.”
“We must continue to confront the ramifications of the past, defined by our collective strength, unity and vision for an inclusive and just future for all.” He stated.
The Minister also used the occasion to welcome diaspora communities who joined the celebrations, describing their presence as a profound reconnection to their ancestral roots.
“I send a special welcome to our brothers and sisters from the diaspora. You are welcome home. Your ancestors, our ancestors, remain forever linked to this land. As you walk your journey to Pikworo, Paga, and Upper East Ghana, may you find an opportunity for deep reflection, healing, and transformation.”
He encouraged the youth to uphold the values of their heritage and embrace cultural pride as a foundation for national development and identity and urged all participants to deepen their commitment to Pan-Africanism and use their collective creativity to build an Africa rooted in dignity, innovation, and sustainable growth.
“To our teaming youth: Let this festival inspire you to carry forward the values of our heritage for deep reflection, healing, and transformation.”
“Once again, welcome to PANAFEST and Emancipation Day 2025. May this celebration renew our purpose, deepen our connections, and ignite our shared destiny for a sustainable future. Never again. Forever forward.”
Pikworo Slave Camp
Established around 1704 near Paga-Nania in Ghana’s Upper East Region, the Pikworo Slave Camp served as a transit and auction centre where enslaved Africans were held before being marched south to markets like Salaga and later to coastal castles for shipment across the Atlantic. Rock carvings remain, marking spots where captives ate, fetched water, and were sold.
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