Oppong Nkrumah says Parliament's oversight committees knew nothing about the Heritage Series and wants answers on cost and portraits.

Published 13 Nov 2026, 19:37 GMT

3 min read

Bank of Ghana graphic showing the eight Ghana Heritage Series banknote denominations, GH¢1 to GH¢200 — The Ghana Heritage Series banknotes: GH¢1, GH¢2, GH¢5, GH¢10, GH¢20, GH¢50, GH¢100 and GH¢200

Listen to this article

Playback position

0:003:09

Playback speed

The Minority in Parliament wants the Bank of Ghana Governor to appear before the House to answer questions on the cost and designs of the new Heritage Series cedi notes.

Ofoase-Ayirebi MP Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the Ranking Member on the Economy and Development Committee, made the demand at a Minority press conference on the 2027 Budget in Parliament on Friday, November 13.

"Parliament, unfortunately, the committees of Parliament that exercise oversight on the Bank of Ghana, like our Committee on Economy and Development, have no idea what they are doing when it comes to the new currency," he said.

He asked for the technical justification for the exercise and its bill. "What are the technical reasons for which our currency is being changed? How much has this exercise cost us?"

The caucus also wants answers on the faces on the notes.

"How do they respond to the misrepresentations of identities on the face of some of the notes that they have presented? What will it cost us to reprint those notes on which identities have been misrepresented?"

"Parliament will also be looking for a copy of the due diligence report on the designs and who signed that report," he said.

"We want to serve notice, and notice is hereby served. They will have to show up before Parliament and answer all of these questions," he said.

He added that the Minority had heard the Bank's board planned an emergency meeting on Friday evening over the concerns.

The Bank has already set out its technical case for the series. In his September statement announcing the series, Governor Johnson Asiama said the core designs were more than two decades old and periodic modernisation was needed for security, durability and cheaper currency management.

At the centre of the row is the GH¢50 note, which honours Theodosia Okoh, the designer of Ghana's flag.

Her nephew, Prof Eddie Obeng, claims the portrait is his mother, Dr Letitia Obeng. The Bank's account, via board member Beatrice Annan, is that it drew on three genuine photographs of Mrs Okoh.

The portrait dispute remains unresolved, with the Bank saying it is talking with members of the Okoh family.

President John Dramani Mahama launched the series on Thursday, November 12, with circulation from December 1 alongside existing notes.

The launch also drew criticism over the exclusion of the Big Six independence leaders, of whom only Kwame Nkrumah keeps a place, on the GH¢200 note.

Araba IncoomAraba Incoom writes on multiple topics with a vast knowledge across different sector. You can almost call me an AI, after all, my initials are Araba Incoom.

The Minority wants the BoG Governor before Parliament over the new cedi notes

Suggested for you

More Stories

Burkina issues &#8216;terrorist&#8217; warrants for journalists, activists

Ogun presents staff of office to new Olu of Ifo

Free river blindness tablets go house to house in 86 districts from Sunday

IMF says Ghana&#39;s stability is &quot;becoming entrenched&quot; as crisis response ends

GES clears arrears for 347 teachers recruited in 2024 but cannot verify 119 staff ID cases

Meet Cardinal Dery, the priest on the new GH¢2 note now on the path to sainthood

Discussion

Burkina issues ‘terrorist’ warrants for journalists, activists

IMF says Ghana's stability is "becoming entrenched" as crisis response ends