The Bank of Ghana has issued a press release to clarify the identity of the person featured on the new GH¢50 Heritage Series banknote. The central bank confirmed that the portrait is of Theodosia Salome Okoh, designer of Ghana's national flag, and not her younger sister, Dr. Letitia Obeng. The clarification was made on Friday, November 13, after public debate and speculation about the identity of the person on the note.
According to the Bank of Ghana, the portrait was developed from different photographs of Mrs. Okoh, and not from a photograph of Dr. Obeng. The photographs were used to create an engraved artistic representation suitable for banknote printing. During this process, certain adjustments were made to meet the technical and security requirements of currency production, including the replacement of Mrs. Okoh's familiar head-tie with a hairstyle common during that period.
The Bank of Ghana admitted that the adaptations made to the portrait "unfortunately, contributed to the perceived differences in her appearance, and to the image bearing a close likeness to Dr. Obeng." The bank thanked the family for its constructive engagement and the public for its interest in preserving Ghana's national heritage. The portrait is intended to honour Mrs. Okoh and her invaluable contribution to Ghana's national identity.
The Heritage Series banknotes will enter circulation on December 1, 2026. The series is the first comprehensive overhaul of Ghana's banknotes in nearly two decades. It retains the eight existing denominations, from GH¢1 to GH¢200, with each note pairing a national icon on the front with a landmark and an Adinkra symbol on the reverse. The GH¢50 note, themed Nationalism, carries Mrs. Okoh on the front, Jubilee House on the reverse, and the Fawohodie symbol.
The controversy began hours after President John Dramani Mahama unveiled the Heritage Series at Bank Square in Accra on Thursday, November 12, 2026. Prof. Eddie Obeng, a nephew of Mrs. Okoh and son of Dr. Obeng, wrote on LinkedIn that he had been delighted to hear his aunt had been honoured, only to realise the face on the note looked like his mother. The claim quickly gained traction on social media and in the press.
The Bank of Ghana's board member, Beatrice Annan, had initially clarified on Facebook on November 12 that the Bank had worked from three authentic photographs of Mrs. Okoh to produce a composite image of her as a mature woman. Friday's press release is the Bank's first formal, official statement on the matter, restating that position. The bank is committed to ensuring that the distinguished personalities featured on Ghana's currency are represented with dignity and respect.
Theodosia Salome Okoh was born on June 13, 1922, and died on April 19, 2015, aged 92. She was a teacher, artist, and sports administrator who studied fine arts at Achimota School. Her sister, Dr. Letitia Eva Takyibea Obeng, was born on January 10, 1925, and died on March 23, 2023, aged 98. She was the first Ghanaian woman to earn a doctorate and a pioneering zoologist and environmental scientist.
Key points
- The Bank of Ghana has clarified that the portrait on the new GH¢50 Heritage Series banknote is of Theodosia Okoh, not her sister Dr. Letitia Obeng.
