Somalia presses Meta over WhatsApp usernames plan

Roger A. Agana
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Somalia presses Meta over WhatsApp usernames plan

Officials warn hiding phone numbers behind usernames could hamper efforts to trace al-Shabaab and financial fraud.

Somalia has asked Meta Platforms to address security concerns over WhatsApp’s planned username feature, warning it could make it harder to trace militants and criminals who rely on the app.

WhatsApp’s roughly 3 billion users are expected to gain the option to message through usernames instead of phone numbers within months, though the feature has not yet launched. Users will still need a phone number to register an account.

Communications and Technology Minister Ahmed Osman Dirie told the BBC’s Focus on Africa podcast that his government had already approached Meta over the issue and expected a resolution soon. He said Somalia’s reliance on registered phone numbers to trace suspects, combined with an economy built heavily around mobile money, makes the country’s situation distinct from most WhatsApp markets.

Somalia has fought al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliate, for more than two decades. The group has used WhatsApp for propaganda, extortion and recruitment, and Somali intelligence said in 2024 that it shut down 20 WhatsApp groups tied to the militants and cut data service to about 2,500 phone numbers linked to them.

Mustafa Yasin Sheikh, director-general of Somalia’s National Communications Authority, said the government does not support rolling out the feature in its current form. He said the changes could also make it easier for people to impersonate government institutions and officials.

Dirie said Meta needs to show that hiding phone numbers will not weaken digital traceability and must put concrete safeguards in place against financial fraud before Somalia drops its objections. “Moving away from phone numbers to usernames… will make it difficult for us to counter those crimes,” he said.

Meta has said the username feature includes built-in protections against scams and reiterated that a phone number will still be required to create an account.

Somalia’s objections follow a similar request from India, WhatsApp’s largest market with more than 850 million users, which asked Meta this month to hold off on the rollout over fraud and impersonation concerns until further consultations take place.

Technology analyst Moses Kemibaro told the BBC the feature is designed to make WhatsApp function more like Instagram, where identity is not tied to a phone number, strengthening privacy for ordinary users. He said governments still have legitimate security concerns and that Meta needs to clarify whether regulators would still be able to identify the people behind a username.

Phone numbers shared in WhatsApp groups have previously been harvested and misused, including by some governments seeking to identify critics, and analysts say reducing that exposure is part of the case for the change. The dispute leaves Meta balancing user privacy demands against government pressure in two of its largest and most security-sensitive markets.

Scientists grow early human sperm cells from stem cells

Roger A. Agana
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Scientists grow early human sperm cells from stem cells

Penn researchers used mouse kidneys to sustain lab-made cells, offering a new tool for studying infertility, though functional sperm remains far off.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have grown early-stage human sperm cells by transplanting lab-made cell clusters beneath the kidneys of mice, according to a study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

The team, led by senior author Kotaro Sasaki and lead author Eoin Whelan, first converted human blood cells into induced pluripotent stem cells, which can become almost any cell type in the body. They then guided those cells into early germ cells, the precursors of sperm, and transplanted the tissue beneath mouse kidneys, where blood vessels kept it alive for as long as nine months.

In earlier versions of the experiment, the lab-made tissue survived only about 80 days because it had no blood supply. Placing it beneath the kidney solved that problem. Within six months, some of the transplanted cells developed into spermatogonia, the stem cells that continue producing sperm through adulthood, and underwent a near-complete epigenetic reset, a process researchers consider essential for healthy reproductive cells. The cells never progressed further, however, and did not become mature, functional sperm.

Human sperm development begins before birth and relies on a biological environment that has been difficult to reproduce outside the body, which is why progress has lagged similar work in mice. Scientists have already used stem cells from mouse skin to produce functional sperm and eggs that led to healthy mouse offspring, but human germ cell development takes longer and differs enough from that of mice that the same approach has not transferred directly.

The researchers said the mouse kidney environment may be missing hormonal or molecular signals that human cells need to fully mature, and suggested that replacing the mouse support cells with human ones might help. They reported similar results using monkey cells, a step they said matters because non-human primates are biologically closer to humans and would likely be needed before any reproductive application could be tested.

The team described the system as a research tool for studying early sperm development, investigating unexplained male infertility, and testing how drugs affect reproductive cells, rather than a path to a fertility treatment.

The work adds to a fast-moving field. Utah-based Paterna Biosciences has said it produced functional sperm from immature sperm cells taken during testicular biopsies, and California-based Conception has reported generating early human egg cells from induced pluripotent stem cells. Neither company has published peer-reviewed data on those claims.

The prospect of lab-grown human reproductive cells has also drawn scrutiny from bioethicists, who warn the technology could eventually enable large-scale embryo creation for genetic selection or, paired with gene editing, fuel concerns over so-called designer babies. Others have flagged the theoretical possibility of creating reproductive cells from a person’s skin or hair without their consent.

Britain’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has called for legislation to directly address lab-grown reproductive cells, while the International Society for Stem Cell Research has urged careful oversight before any clinical use of the technology.

Meta quits RE100 clean energy pact as gas investment grows

Roger A. Agana
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Meta quits RE100 clean energy pact as gas investment grows

Climate Group says Meta no longer meets the renewable initiative’s technical requirements after a wave of new gas-plant funding.

Meta has left RE100, a leading corporate renewable electricity initiative, after a decade of membership, as the company funds new natural gas plants to power its expanding AI data centers.

A Meta spokesperson confirmed the exit to reporters, describing the departure as “mutual.” The Climate Group, the UK nonprofit that runs RE100 alongside CDP, gave a more pointed explanation, telling Recharge News, which first reported the exit, that Meta was “no longer able to meet the technical criteria” because of its investments in new gas power.

RE100 pushes major companies toward sourcing all their electricity from renewable sources and counts 444 members, including Apple, Google and Microsoft. Meta joined in 2016 and had pledged to reach 100% renewable electricity by 2020, a target it says it has met annually since then through long-term renewable power purchase agreements.

That claim has grown harder to square with Meta’s recent spending. The company has funded at least 10 natural gas plants over the past year to run its AI infrastructure, including a 200-megawatt facility in Ohio and, more recently, 10 gas-fired plants in Louisiana to supply its Hyperion AI data center campus.

The exit follows RE100 tightening its reporting rules, requiring members to submit stronger evidence of progress toward their renewable targets. Meta says it still intends to match its data center electricity use with 100% clean and renewable energy, largely by purchasing renewable energy certificates tied to generation elsewhere, even as it builds new gas capacity on-site.

Apple, Google and Microsoft remain RE100 members. All three, like Meta, are also expanding data center capacity to meet AI demand, and some have turned to nuclear power alongside renewables to secure steady electricity supply.

Environmental groups warn that new gas plants lock in carbon emissions for decades. Industry advocates counter that gas remains necessary until renewable generation, storage and grid capacity can reliably meet the round-the-clock power draw of large AI data centers.

Ghana chases maiden WAFCON title as 2026 tournament opens

Roger A. Agana
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Ghana chases maiden WAFCON title as 2026 tournament opens

The Black Queens open Group D play against Cape Verde on Tuesday after building on last edition’s bronze-medal finish.

Ghana’s Black Queens will chase a first Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title after the 2026 tournament kicked off in Morocco on Saturday, with the team looking to build on its third-place finish two years ago.

Head coach Kim Lars Bjorkegren said his squad has grown stronger physically and tactically since he took over the team, pointing to a 1-0 warm-up win over Ivory Coast as evidence of that progress. He said the team was in a far better position than a year ago heading into the tournament.

Ghana Football Association president Kurt Okraku has echoed that confidence. After the group draw, he said the Black Queens should be ready to face any side on the continent and called a maiden title “not too far away.” He has pointed to expanded training camps in Morocco, Senegal and Ivory Coast, plus a longer pre-tournament camping period, as fixes for preparation problems that hurt the team in past campaigns.

The Black Queens have qualified for every edition of the tournament and are making their 14th appearance. Ghana reached the final three times, in 1998, 2002 and 2006, but lost all three and has never won the trophy. The team has also taken bronze four times, most recently in 2024, when it beat South Africa on penalties for third place.

Ghana was drawn into Group D alongside Cameroon, Mali and Cape Verde, a pool Bjorkegren has called competitive. The Black Queens open against Cape Verde on Tuesday, July 29, before facing Cameroon on August 2 and Mali on August 6, with all three matches at the Moulay Rachid Stadium in Casablanca.

Beyond the trophy, the tournament carries added weight this year. The semi-finalists will qualify automatically for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, a competition Ghana has not featured in since 2007.

Ghana resumes evacuation of 1,000 nationals from South Africa

Roger A. Agana
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Ghana resumes evacuation of 1,000 nationals from South Africa

Foreign ministry says first flights land Sunday and Monday as xenophobic attacks against migrants continue.

Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Saturday it will resume evacuating citizens from South Africa, with about 1,000 Ghanaians expected to return in phased flights starting Sunday amid ongoing xenophobic violence.

The ministry said the first batch of evacuees would land in Accra on Sunday, followed by a second batch on Monday. Priority will go to women, children, the elderly, people with medical conditions, and students, it said.

The Ghana High Commission in Pretoria has reactivated its emergency consular response and stands ready to help Ghanaians return home safely, the ministry said. It urged citizens still in South Africa to remain calm, avoid areas of unrest, ignore provocations, and cooperate with the mission during the exercise.

The resumption follows months of evacuations that began after President John Mahama approved the return of 300 Ghanaians in May, when attacks against migrants from other African countries first escalated. Ghana’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Benjamin Quashie, said nearly 926 citizens had already been repatriated under earlier phases before this latest round.

Mahama has petitioned the African Union to place the attacks on its agenda, accusing the South African government of not doing enough to stop the violence. Ghana is not alone in pulling citizens out. Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Kenya, Lesotho and Uganda have also repatriated nationals, and an AFP tally of figures from those governments puts the total number of foreign nationals who have left South Africa over the past two months above 160,000.

South African authorities have said the unrest has killed at least four migrants, though some foreign governments have reported higher death tolls among their own citizens. The violence has unfolded over weeks of protests led by vigilante groups accusing undocumented foreigners of taking jobs and driving up crime, a claim analysts say masks deeper economic and governance problems in South Africa.

Trust God’s Supernatural Power Amid Life’s Challenges – Rev. Franklin Atiemo Tells Christians

Isaac Kofi Dzokpo
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Trust God’s Supernatural Power Amid Life’s Challenges – Rev. Franklin Atiemo Tells Christians

 

The Resident Pastor of the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) Ga Odumase Living Hope Temple, Rev. Franklin Atiemo, has urged Christians to remain steadfast in their faith and place their complete confidence in God’s supernatural power, declaring that divine intervention remains the answer to every challenge confronting believers.

Speaking during a sermon on the theme, “The Supernatural Hand of God,” Rev. Atiemo said Christians must look beyond their present circumstances and trust in God’s unfailing promises, describing His hand as the source of divine power, protection, provision, guidance and victory.

Preaching from Isaiah 41:10, he reminded the congregation that God has assured His people of His constant presence, strength and support, urging believers not to allow fear, anxiety or life’s difficulties to weaken their faith.

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Quoting the scripture, Rev. Atiemo said God’s promise to strengthen, help and uphold His people remains relevant today, encouraging Christians to anchor their confidence in God rather than in their circumstances.

“FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH YOU; BE NOT DISMAYED, FOR I AM YOUR GOD. I WILL STRENGTHEN YOU; YES, I WILL HELP YOU; I WILL UPHOLD YOU WITH MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND.”

He said many believers are overwhelmed by financial pressures, marital difficulties, health challenges and business setbacks, but stressed that no situation is beyond God’s power to restore.

“God is with you. He will strengthen you, help you and uphold you. Every financial burden, marital challenge, business setback, health condition and personal struggle can be overcome through God’s supernatural intervention,” he declared.

Rev. Atiemo described worry as one of the greatest enemies of faith, saying it robs believers of peace, weakens their confidence in God and hinders them from experiencing His promises. He urged Christians to replace fear with unwavering faith, noting that God’s power is revealed in the lives of those who trust Him completely.

“The moment you shift your focus from your problems to God’s promises, you position yourself to experience His miraculous intervention,” he said.

Drawing lessons from Scripture, Rev. Atiemo said the supernatural hand of God has consistently delivered His people from oppression, protected them from danger and performed miracles beyond human understanding.

Worship

He cited God’s deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt, His protection of Daniel in the lions’ den, His preservation of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace, and the miracles performed through Jesus Christ as evidence that God’s power is unchanging.

“The same supernatural hand that parted the Red Sea is still at work today. God has not changed. His power has not diminished, and His promises have not expired,” he emphasised.

Worship

According to him, God’s supernatural hand continues to transform lives by providing divine protection, opening doors of opportunity, granting breakthroughs, restoring broken lives, healing the sick, strengthening the weak and directing His people through seasons of uncertainty.

He encouraged Christians not to be discouraged by temporary setbacks, saying every challenge presents an opportunity for God to demonstrate His glory and faithfulness.

Rev. Atiemo further urged believers to remain committed to prayer, grounded in God’s Word and faithful in their walk with Christ, stressing that perseverance and obedience position Christians to receive God’s blessings.

Reflecting on his personal journey, the pastor recounted how God transformed his life despite academic setbacks and personal struggles that once seemed insurmountable. He encouraged worshippers never to allow their present circumstances to define their future, saying God’s grace has the power to rewrite every story.

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“If God could change my story, He can change yours. Your current situation is not your final destination. God’s supernatural hand can lift you from disappointment to fulfilment, from lack to abundance and from despair to victory,” he said.

As part of the service, Rev. Atiemo prayed for divine favour, financial breakthroughs, healing, restoration, open doors, family peace and the release of destiny helpers, expressing confidence that God would continue to bless and uplift His people.

He  encouraged  Christians to trust wholeheartedly in God’s unfailing power, declaring that those who remain faithful will experience His supernatural hand bringing protection, provision, promotion and divine elevation.

“The hand of God is greater than every obstacle, stronger than every enemy and more powerful than every limitation. Trust Him completely, and He will make a way where there seems to be no way,” he concluded.

Exchanging Pleasantries

NYA and French Embassy Deepen Strategic Partnership to Expand Youth Empowerment and Skills Development

Attractive Mustapha
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NYA and French Embassy Deepen Strategic Partnership to Expand Youth Empowerment and Skills Development

The National Youth Authority has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening its partnership with the Embassy of France in Ghana to expand opportunities for youth empowerment, skills development, innovation, and social inclusion.

The renewed commitment was made when the Chief Executive Officer, Osman Abdulai Ayariga Esq., led a delegation to pay a courtesy call on the Ambassador of France to Ghana, H.E. Diarra Dimé-Labille, at the French Embassy in Accra.

Speaking during the meeting, Mr. Ayariga emphasised that the National Youth Authority highly values the enduring friendship and cooperation between Ghana and France, noting that both countries share a common vision of investing in young people as catalysts for national development. He stressed that the Authority remains committed to fostering stronger institutional partnerships that create meaningful opportunities for Ghanaian youth through skills development, innovation, entrepreneurship, and international collaboration.

Highlighting the government’s flagship National Apprenticeship Programme, he described the initiative as a transformative platform designed to equip young Ghanaians with employable skills, enhance their economic participation, and build a highly productive workforce. He appealed to the Government of France to explore areas of collaboration with the NYA to expand technical training opportunities, facilitate knowledge exchange, and support the development of a globally competitive youth population. He further revealed that the programme has deliberately reserved between five and ten percent of beneficiary slots for persons with disabilities, reflecting government’s determination to ensure that no young Ghanaian is left behind in the country’s economic transformation.

Responding, H.E. Diarra Dimé-Labille reaffirmed France’s commitment to deepening its long-standing partnership with Ghana through practical and sustainable cooperation. She explained that France’s engagement with Ghana is increasingly evolving from traditional development assistance towards strategic investment, innovation, youth mobility, and mutually beneficial institutional partnerships capable of delivering long-term impact.

The Ambassador emphasised that youth development and education remain central to France’s engagement with Ghana, noting that empowering young people through skills acquisition, innovation, and international exposure is fundamental to building resilient economies and stronger societies. She proposed that the NYA and the French Embassy institutionalise regular engagements , including quarterly meetings — to identify new opportunities for collaboration and strengthen existing areas of cooperation.

H.E. Dimé-Labille also highlighted France’s investment in innovation through its support for the Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development initiative at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, implemented through the Responsible AI Lab. The initiative is developing locally driven artificial intelligence solutions to address pressing challenges in agriculture, healthcare, education, and environmental sustainability, while preparing young innovators for the future digital economy.

On disability inclusion , a subject she spoke about with evident passion — the Ambassador expressed her desire to see more young persons with disabilities equipped with employable and entrepreneurial skills that enable them to live independently and contribute productively to society. She proposed closer collaboration between the NYA, development partners, and relevant stakeholders to explore sustainable policy interventions that promote the economic empowerment and social inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Also speaking during the meeting, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of Operations and Programmes, Alhaji Inusah Mahama, formally invited the French Ambassador to the National Youth Conference scheduled for 10th to 13th August, describing it as one of Ghana’s foremost platforms for youth dialogue, innovation, policy engagement, and national development. He also highlighted the Ghana Network of Young Persons with Disabilities, chaired by the National Youth Authority, explaining that the platform seeks to unite young persons with disabilities, amplify their voices in national decision-making, and promote equal opportunities in education, leadership, employment, and governance. He expressed confidence that stronger collaboration with the French Embassy would further advance the shared objective of building an inclusive and empowered youth population.

The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of both institutions to deepen cooperation through strategic partnerships that promote skills development, innovation, inclusion, and sustainable economic empowerment for young people across Ghana.

Study finds way to make resistant bacteria more vulnerable to antibiotics

News Ghana
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Study finds way to make resistant bacteria more vulnerable to antibiotics

South Korean researchers engineered a delivery system that let a last-resort antibiotic work at lower doses against drug-resistant E. coli in mice.

Researchers at Pusan National University in South Korea have identified a bacterial peptide that makes drug-resistant strains of E. coli more vulnerable to polymyxins, a class of antibiotics used as a last resort against severe infections, according to a study published July 1 in the journal Drug Resistance Updates.

The team, led by chemistry professor Kwang-sun Kim, screened 91 bacterial small non-coding RNAs and identified one called RyfA, which encodes a peptide named TimP. The peptide binds to an outer membrane protein called LamB, triggering changes in the bacterial cell envelope that make it easier for polymyxins to penetrate. Polymyxins are among the few remaining treatments for infections caused by multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria, but their use is limited by kidney and nerve toxicity at the doses currently required.

The researchers then packaged TimP together with the antibiotic polymyxin B into engineered extracellular vesicles, describing the resulting delivery system, called PMB@TimP EVs, as a “Trojan-horse” approach that delivers the drug directly to bacteria while simultaneously weakening their defenses.

In laboratory tests, the engineered vesicles improved bacterial killing and caused less toxicity to mammalian cells than the antibiotic alone. In mice with sepsis caused by multidrug-resistant E. coli, the treatment improved survival at doses where the antibiotic alone did not protect the animals, and researchers found no abnormal buildup of the treatment in major organs.

The study has so far only been tested in bacterial cultures and mice, and the researchers said further work, including safety and manufacturing studies, would be needed before it could be tested in humans. They also said LamB, the protein the treatment targets, is present in Salmonella Typhimurium, suggesting the approach could potentially extend to other drug-resistant bacteria beyond E. coli.

“With the development of new antibiotics failing to keep pace with bacterial evolution, maximizing the efficacy of existing resources will become the primary strategy to bridge the therapeutic gap in clinical settings,” Kim said.

It’s Time to Rethink PANAFEST and Emancipation Day

Emmanuel Frimpong
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It’s Time to Rethink PANAFEST and Emancipation Day

Nearly three decades on, Ghana’s flagship diaspora festivals still move people emotionally. It’s time they moved the economy too, writes tourism analyst Emmanuel Frimpong.

By Emmanuel Frimpong, Tourism Analyst and Consultant

Nearly three decades after the launch of the Pan-African Historical Theatre Festival, and many years of commemorating Emancipation Day, Ghana stands at a crossroad as it marks another edition of both from July 23 to August 1, 2026. These celebrations have helped preserve the memory of the transatlantic slave trade, reconnected Africans in the diaspora with the continent, and positioned Ghana as a spiritual home for people of African descent. They inspired initiatives such as the Year of Return and Beyond the Return, and reinforced Ghana’s image as the gateway to Africa.

Yet an honest question deserves asking: are PANAFEST and Emancipation Day still achieving their intended objectives, or have they become largely ceremonial events in need of a new vision? I believe the time has come, not to abandon these historic celebrations, but to fundamentally rethink and reposition them for the 21st century.

A noble vision, an aging format

PANAFEST was conceived as more than a cultural festival. It was meant to promote Pan-Africanism, healing, reconciliation, historical education, cultural exchange and investment between Africa and its diaspora. Emancipation Day similarly serves as a solemn reminder of the abolition of slavery and honours the millions of Africans who suffered one of humanity’s greatest tragedies. Those objectives remain relevant, but the context in which the festivals were created has changed dramatically. Today’s Africa faces youth unemployment, climate change, digital transformation, migration, artificial intelligence, investment deficits and skills gaps, issues that now define the continent’s future as much as remembering its past.

Every year, thousands gather at Cape Coast, Elmina and, more recently, Tamale to remember slavery through emotional ceremonies, candlelight vigils and symbolic processions. These remain necessary, but remembrance alone cannot build Africa’s future. Many young Ghanaians and other Africans leave these events emotionally inspired but without real opportunities to contribute to the continent’s development. Descendants of enslaved Africans increasingly ask practical questions: how can we invest in Africa, start businesses, send our children to study here, transfer technology and create jobs? PANAFEST has not evolved enough to answer them.

The world has also changed since PANAFEST began in 1992. Globalisation was then still emerging; today the global African community is connected through digital technology, diaspora engagement has grown more sophisticated, and countries compete for investment, talent and influence. Many African nations have built creative industries, innovation hubs and cultural diplomacy programmes that connect heritage to economic development. PANAFEST, by contrast, remains organised largely around conferences, durbars, cultural performances and memorial activities. These are valuable, but no longer sufficient.

From commemoration to investment

One of PANAFEST’s biggest weaknesses is its limited economic impact. Imagine if the festival also became Africa’s largest diaspora investment forum, a Pan-African innovation summit, a youth entrepreneurship convention, a creative industries marketplace, a tourism investment expo, a heritage technology exhibition, a diaspora property and investment fair, and an African university collaboration platform. Such additions would turn remembrance into economic empowerment, sending visitors home not just moved but having signed business agreements, research partnerships, investment commitments and educational exchanges.

Youth participation is another concern. Many young Ghanaians and Africans see PANAFEST as an event designed mainly for older generations or diaspora visitors, yet over 60% of Africa’s population is under 30. If young people do not see themselves reflected in the festival, its future is uncertain. It should become Africa’s largest gathering of young innovators, entrepreneurs, creatives, tourism professionals, researchers and future leaders, who should be shaping conversations about Africa’s future, not merely performing cultural dances.

There is also untapped tourism potential. Many international visitors spend only a few days in Ghana during the celebrations, rarely travelling beyond selected heritage sites or engaging with local communities. A redesigned PANAFEST should encourage visitors to experience Ghana’s national parks, ecotourism destinations, cultural villages, gastronomy, creative arts, museums, universities and business ecosystems, which would increase visitor spending, length of stay and regional tourism development.

A blueprint for renewal

The success of the Year of Return showed Ghana’s convening power; the challenge now is sustaining that momentum. Rather than launching separate initiatives every few years, Ghana should establish PANAFEST as Africa’s permanent platform for diaspora engagement, with every edition producing measurable outcomes: investment commitments, research collaborations, student exchanges, tourism partnerships, business deals, technology transfers, skills programmes, youth employment initiatives and policy recommendations. Without measurable outcomes, festivals risk becoming symbolic rather than transformational.

A reimagined PANAFEST should include several strategic pillars: an annual Global African Investment Forum connecting governments, entrepreneurs, investors and diaspora business leaders; a Pan-African Youth Leadership and Innovation Summit focused on entrepreneurship, technology, tourism and sustainable development; an African Heritage Tourism Expo for destinations, museums, tour operators, airlines and hospitality businesses; a Diaspora Skills Exchange Programme enabling African professionals abroad to contribute expertise in medicine, engineering, education, technology and governance; a PANAFEST Research and Policy Forum bringing together universities, think tanks and policymakers; the integration of digital tools such as virtual reality and interactive museums to engage younger audiences; decentralised activities so every region of Ghana benefits economically; and annual impact reports measuring tourism receipts, investments secured, jobs created and partnerships formed.

True emancipation today extends beyond remembering the abolition of slavery. It means liberation from poverty, unemployment, poor education, corruption, underdevelopment, dependency and technological exclusion. If PANAFEST and Emancipation Day can inspire Ghana and Africa to confront these modern forms of bondage, they will become more meaningful than ever.

History must never be forgotten, and the memory of slavery remains essential to understanding our collective identity. But remembrance should inspire action. PANAFEST and Emancipation Day should no longer be viewed simply as commemorative festivals; they should become engines of tourism development, investment promotion, youth empowerment, innovation, research, cultural diplomacy and continental cooperation. Ghana has already shown what visionary leadership can achieve through the Year of Return. The next step is to transform PANAFEST from a festival of remembrance into a movement for African renewal, so that we honour the past while building the future our ancestors dreamed of.

Albie Sachs: The Judge Who Chose Reconciliation Over Revenge

Emmanuel Frimpong
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Albie Sachs: The Judge Who Chose Reconciliation Over Revenge

At 90, the former Constitutional Court justice reflects on the life that shaped South Africa’s constitution, from apartheid-era imprisonment to a car bomb that nearly killed him.

On a warm afternoon in Potsdam, Germany, I sat across from one of the jurists who helped shape modern South Africa, Justice Albie Sachs. At 90, his voice remains gentle but resolute, his humour intact, and his belief in humanity as compelling as ever. For nearly an hour, we spoke about justice, freedom, reconciliation and democracy. Before sharing that conversation, his own story is worth telling first.

Sachs is a lawyer, freedom fighter, constitutional architect, author and one of the moral voices who helped shape modern South Africa. His life traces a path from resilience under oppression to forgiveness over vengeance, and a lasting commitment to the rule of law.

Born in Johannesburg in 1935 to politically active parents, Sachs grew up in a household where justice, equality and human dignity were everyday subjects of conversation. His parents were active in the struggle against racial discrimination, and from an early age he saw the injustices that would later define his career.

He studied law at the University of Cape Town and was admitted to the Bar in his early twenties. He quickly built a reputation for representing Black South Africans, trade unionists and political activists persecuted under apartheid, at a time when the legal system was routinely used to enforce racial segregation.

That work put him in the sights of the apartheid state. He was detained without trial on multiple occasions in the 1960s and held for prolonged periods in solitary confinement. The imprisonment did not silence him. He remained committed to the idea that the law should serve humanity, not political power.

As government repression intensified, Sachs went into exile, spending years in the United Kingdom and later Mozambique, where he continued working with the African National Congress. In exile, he helped develop legal and constitutional ideas that would later shape democratic South Africa.

Then came a defining moment. In 1988, while living in Maputo, a car bomb planted by agents of the apartheid regime exploded as he entered his vehicle. The blast destroyed his right arm and permanently damaged the sight in one eye. It could easily have killed him. Instead, it became another turning point.

Many would have responded to such violence with bitterness or calls for revenge. Sachs chose differently. During his recovery, he thought not about retaliation but about the kind of society South Africa should become once freedom was achieved. He emerged convinced that democracy could only endure if it was built on constitutionalism, reconciliation and respect for human dignity.

When apartheid ended, Sachs helped shape South Africa’s constitutional negotiations before Nelson Mandela appointed him as one of the first judges of the newly established Constitutional Court in 1994.

Over the next fifteen years, Sachs took part in landmark decisions that helped define one of the world’s most admired constitutions. His judgments consistently held that the law should protect human dignity, equality, freedom and inclusion, and he became particularly known for rulings advancing gender equality, children’s rights, freedom of expression, restorative justice and the rights of marginalised communities.

What distinguished Sachs was not only his legal reasoning but his humanity. He often told audiences that constitutions are not simply collections of legal provisions but living expressions of a society’s shared values, and that the law should never lose sight of the people it exists to serve.

Throughout his career, he has argued for reconciliation over retribution, maintaining that lasting peace depends on acknowledging past injustices while building institutions capable of protecting future generations. His own life stands as evidence that forgiveness is not weakness but an act of courage.

Since retiring from the Constitutional Court in 2009, Sachs has remained an active voice on constitutional democracy, judicial independence, human rights and inclusive governance, lecturing at universities, advising on constitutional reform, and writing widely read books.

His story resonates well beyond South Africa. Across the continent and elsewhere, democracies continue to confront questions about the rule of law, human rights, corruption and national reconciliation. Sachs argues that democracy cannot survive on elections alone, and that it requires ethical leadership, independent institutions, active citizens and respect for the dignity of every individual.

For young lawyers, judges, public servants and political leaders, his life offers a lesson: leadership is measured by principle, not power. His story shows that courage is often quiet, that justice requires patience, and that reconciliation can become a nation’s greatest strength.

As our conversation in Potsdam ended, it was a reminder that some people leave their mark not through wealth or office but through the values they embody. Sachs turned personal suffering into public service and helped build a constitutional order admired around the world.

Readers will soon hear directly from Justice Sachs in an exclusive interview reflecting on his journey, the lessons of South Africa’s democratic transition, and his hopes for the future of Africa and the world.

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