Aki-Ola Publications has addressed claims that it sought to glorify colonisation in Ghana through material published in a Junior High School Social Studies textbook.

The publisher has faced criticism for including a section that outlines what the book describes as the “benefits Ghana has derived from colonisation.”

The issue was brought to public attention by the Member of Parliament for Ketu North, Edem Agbana, who said he encountered portions of the Aki-Ola Series Social Studies textbook discussing the perceived benefits of colonisation.

He strongly condemned the content, arguing that it appears to sanitise and romanticise colonisation while minimising its devastating and traumatic consequences for Africans, particularly Ghanaians.

Mr. Agbana has indicated his intention to petition the Ghana Education Service and refer the matter to Parliament’s Education Committee for further review.

In response, the Chief Executive Officer of Aki-Ola Publications, Mr. Peter Asiedu, clarified the circumstances surrounding the publication.

In an interview with Class 91.3 FM’s Charles Akrofi, he explained that the textbook in question was published approximately 15 years ago and was developed in line with the national curriculum approved at the time.

According to Mr. Asiedu, the content reflected the syllabus then in use, which required discussion of both the positive and negative effects of colonisation.

He emphasised that the topic was not unique to Aki-Ola’s publication, as it appeared in all Social Studies textbooks on the market during that period, including government-approved books.

He further noted that the syllabus has since been revised, and that he has not yet published a new edition aligned with the updated curriculum introduced about four years ago.

He maintained that the material was drawn directly from the approved syllabus and was not independently created or inserted by his company.

Mr. Asiedu also expressed disappointment that his company was publicly singled out without prior engagement.

He stated that in such matters, the appropriate first step would have been to contact the publisher for clarification before raising public concerns.

The 2007 Teaching Syllabus for Social Studies (Junior High Schools), approved for use in Ghanaian schools, lists “Colonisation and National Development” as a key topic.

The syllabus explains that European contact introduced formal education, Christianity, and infrastructure, while also initiating the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and colonisation.

It further notes that these historical developments contributed to a dependency mindset that has persisted beyond independence, and highlights the need to promote self-reliance for national development.

Among its objectives, the syllabus requires students to explain the concept of colonisation, identify both its positive and negative effects on Africa, and assess how colonisation has hindered Ghana’s progress, he concluded