A textbook purporting to be that which teaches Ghana’s history to pupils in Primaries 3 and 4 of Ghana’s schools has suffered stillbirth.
The which has been found to contain stereotypical content about Ewes has been met with anger on social media.
Some Ghanaians have since described it as “offensive, divisive and incendiary”.
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A large segment of Ghanaians have therefore called on the Ghana Education Service to withdraw the books effective immediately.
Checkout some of the reactions below:
At 11am today, we take the #BurnTheBooks & #EwesDeserveRespect campaign to GES head office in Accra.
— Edem Agbana ?? (@edemagbana) March 15, 2021
The time is apt for us to show our anger as a people.
We cannot accept this insidious profiling of ewes & the continues political revisionism.
Join us.
I’m not an ewe but it’s high time we put hate aside and leave together as one. #EwesDeserveRespect
— Analyza (@realAnalyza) March 14, 2021
It’s a calculated attempt. #EwesDeserveRespect https://t.co/QbzgiY6NqG
— KingOga? (@ASKwashiga) March 14, 2021
Prejudice is more dangerous than guns. The same Badu Nkansah wrote in a textbook that our heads are used for carrying load. He was roundly condemned. Somehow he still has access to Ghana Education Service to write more dangerous content.
— PRINCE HENRY KOFORIDUA ?? (@tabi_henry) March 14, 2021
We must stand up against the discrimination, marginalization and hatred of Ewe people.
— MacJordan (@MacJordaN) March 9, 2021
Why have Ewes in Ghana done to become the most hated ethnic group in Ghana? What exactly have we done to deserve this unwarranted tribal bigotry? @etsedafeamekpor @S_OkudzetoAblak @benkoku pic.twitter.com/8tT2yD8lHJ
A useless agenda against Ewes by a group of useless tribal bigots.? pic.twitter.com/DlfwjAQJbf
— Citizen Kay (@Citizen__Kay) March 14, 2021
Subsequently, Badu Nkansah Limited, publishers of the book, has recalled all copies of the book.
According to the company, “they have not yet met the final approvement threshold,” hence the recall.
In a reaction to the barrage of criticisms against the book, the company in a Press Statement said they are in shock how a limited quantity of the unpublished draft of its book undergoing a review, found its way into the market.
It said it is investigating and will make the results of its investigations public shortly.
PRESS STATEMENT
APOLOGY FOR OFFENSIVE PUBLICATION
Badu Nkansah limited, a wholly Ghanaian owned publishing house has been in operation for twenty four Years. Within these years we have produced educational materials covering all subject areas which has been relied upon for both academic and research work. We wish to bring the following to the attention of Ghanaians:
Following the introduction of the new curriculum by NACCA, we submitted a text book assessment application for approval for our book HISTORY OF GHANA in January last year.
We received a response to our application from NACCA on 25th September, (reference : NaCCA/G14). The NaCCA raised concerns with portions of the book even though they informed us that the book had satisfied most of the technical and content requirements. They however told us to work on certain aspects of the book further in order for it to meet the expectations of the new curriculum.
An attached comment which accompanied the report detailed areas of particular concern which we are still in the process of complying with.
Unfortunately, whiles undergoing the review, a limited quantity of the unpublished draft found its way into the market. We have seen certain snapshots on social media which has generated justified public uproar due to its offensive tone. Though it is not a deliberate attempt to berate such a huge section of our society, we wish to unreservedly apologise for the slip. Our brand stands for national unity and we currently employ workers who originate from all parts of the country.
How those few copies found its way to the market is something we are still investigating, and we will make the results of our investigations public when we are done.
In the meantime, we have call up all copies in circulation with immediate effect since they have not yet met the final approvement threshold.
Once again, ours is a brand that values National unity and we have epitomised it for twenty four Years of our existence as a brand. We apologize to all those affected and we wish to assure all Ghanaians that such a thing will never happen again.
God bless our homeland Ghana