The family of George Floyd, an African American who was “gruesomely killed” by a white American police officer in the USA on 25 May 2020, has expressed gratitude to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Ghanaians for eulogising the memory of their son.

Addressing mourners at the funeral of Mr Floyd on Tuesday, 9 June 2020 at Houston, Texas, Ivy McGregor said: “The family of George Floyd will like to acknowledge the message of solidarity resolution and virtual tribute from His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo, the President of Ghana. The family is honoured by President Akufo-Addo’s decision to have Mr Floyd’s name permanently mounted on the historic Sankofa wall at the Diaspora African Forum in the WEB Dubois Centre in Africa”.

She continued: “They are grateful that the country of Ghana stands with the Floyd family and the struggle of all families to change the status quo of racism and prejudice. The family is deeply moved by the generous act of the Ghanaian government to solidify George Floyd’s legacy”.

Mr Akufo-Addo condemned the death of Mr Floyd when the incident happened.

In a Facebook post, Nana Akufo-Addo said he hoped the tragic death of Mr Floyd will inspire a lasting change in how America confronts head-on the problems of hate and racism.

The full post read: “Black people, the world over, are shocked and distraught by the killing of an unarmed black man, George Floyd, by a white police officer in the United States of America. It carried with it an all too painful familiarity and an ugly reminder. It cannot be right that, in the 21st century, the United States, this great bastion of democracy, continues to grapple with the problem of systemic racism.

“On behalf of the people of Ghana, I express my deep condolences to the family and loved ones of the late George Floyd. We stand with our kith and kin in America in these difficult and trying times, and we hope that the unfortunate, tragic death of George Floyd will inspire a lasting change in how America confronts head-on the problems of hate and racism.”

Few days after Mr Akufo-Addo’s post, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, in collaboration with the Ghana Tourism Authority, Office of Diaspora Affairs and the Diaspora African Forum, organised a memorial and wreath-laying ceremony at the W. E. B. Du Bois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture in honour of Mr Floyd with an invitation to African Americans to re-settle in Ghana if they feel unwanted in the USA.

Speaking at the ceremony on Friday, 5 May 2020, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Barbara Oteng-Gyasi expressed the hope that the death of Mr Floyd will put an end to racism, not only in the US but across the globe.

“Racism in America continues to be a deadly pandemic, for which for more than 400 years now, our brothers and sisters in the United States of America have yearned for a cure. George Floyd was not the first black person to use the phrase ‘I can’t breathe’... The present situation we face today in the year 2020 with the death of George Floyd is going to result in change… One who condones evil is just as evil as the one who perpetrates it. That is why it is right not only for Chauvin to be charged but all his accomplices who, together, [killed George Floyd],” Ms Oteng-Gyasi said.

She continued: “We gather in solidarity with brothers and sisters to change the status quo. Racism must end. We pray and hope that George Floyd's death will not be in vain but will bring an end to prejudice and racial discrimination across the world.”

Ghana, last year, opened up the country to receive Africans in the diaspora through a government initiative called the Year of Return. Thousands of African Americans and blacks from other countries visited the country.

This year, the government has launched the “Beyond the Return” initiative to help Africans in the diaspora to settle in Ghana and invest in the economy.

To this end, Ms Oteng-Gyasi noted that Ghana is ready to welcome every African in the diaspora who is ready to return to the continent away from the racial abuse they have suffered for about 400 years.

“We continue to open our arms and invite all our brothers and sisters home. Ghana is your home. Africa is your home. We have our arms wide open ready to welcome you home. Please take advantage, come home build a life in Ghana, you do not have to stay where you are not wanted forever, you have a choice and Africa is waiting for you,” said Ms Oteng-Gyasi.    

The death of George Floyd, who told the white cop he could not breathe while he knelt on his neck, has sparked protests across the US for the past 10 days.

The white officer David Chauvin has since been arrested and charged with 3rd-degree murder and manslaughter.

The other three officers who did not intervene and also held Floyd down when their colleague had his knee on his neck, J Alexander Kueng, Thomas K. Lane and Tou Thao have also been arrested and charged with aiding and abetting murder.