The Bank of Ghana has issued an official clarification over the portrait of Ghana’s national flag designer, Theodosia Salome Okoh, featured on the newly unveiled GH\u00a250 Heritage Series banknote, following public allegations that the image actually resembles her younger sister, Dr Letitia Obeng.<\/p>\n
The controversy emerged shortly after President John Dramani Mahama unveiled the new banknote series on November 12, 2026. Questions about the GH\u00a250 portrait quickly spread across social media, with some Ghanaians questioning whether the correct historical personality had been represented.<\/p>\n
The issue gained further attention after Professor Eddie Obeng, son of Dr Letitia Obeng and nephew of Theodosia Okoh, publicly questioned the image.<\/p>\n
In a LinkedIn post, Professor Obeng said he was initially pleased to learn that his aunt had been honoured on the new currency. However, after examining the note, he was surprised by what he believed was a portrait of his mother rather than his aunt.<\/p>\n
Dr Letitia Obeng was a pioneering Ghanaian zoologist and environmental scientist, recognised as the first Ghanaian woman to earn a doctorate.<\/p>\n
In a press release dated November 13, the Bank of Ghana maintained that the portrait on the GH\u00a250 note represents Theodosia Salome Okoh, not her younger sister.<\/p>\n
According to the Central Bank, the image was developed using three authentic photographs of Mrs Okoh, including two taken during her younger years and another from later life.<\/p>\n
The photographs were combined to produce an artistic representation of her as a mature woman, while maintaining what the Bank described as a faithful family resemblance.<\/p>\n
The Bank also acknowledged that adjustments were made to her hairstyle to meet the technical requirements of currency production.<\/p>\n
It explained that banknote portraits are not ordinary photographic reproductions but engraved artistic representations that must meet specific standards for clarity, raised printing and the incorporation of security features.<\/p>\n
However, the Bank admitted that the adjustments made during the process contributed to the perceived differences in her appearance and the image’s close resemblance to Dr Letitia Obeng.<\/p>\n
The Central Bank said it was engaging members of Mrs Okoh’s family to explain the process and address the concerns.<\/p>\n
The controversy has drawn attention to the remarkable contributions of the two sisters to Ghana’s national history.<\/p>\n
Theodosia Salome Okoh (1922\u20132015) was the artist and teacher who designed Ghana’s national flag, which was adopted on March 6, 1957, following the country’s independence.<\/p>\n
Her design, featuring red, gold and green horizontal stripes with a black star, remains one of the most recognisable symbols of Ghanaian national identity.<\/p>\n
Her younger sister, Dr Letitia Eva Takyibea Obeng (1925\u20132023), was a pioneering scientist whose contributions to zoology and environmental science earned her a distinguished place in Ghana’s academic history. She was the first Ghanaian woman to earn a doctorate.<\/p>\n
The family connection between the two prominent women has made the portrait controversy particularly sensitive, with questions extending beyond artistic interpretation to the accurate representation of important national figures.<\/p>\n
The GH\u00a250 note forms part of the Bank of Ghana’s newly introduced Heritage Series, unveiled on November 12 under the theme, The Cedi, Our Future: Secure, Designed to Last<\/em>.<\/p>\n The new series retains the existing eight denominations, from GH\u00a21 to GH\u00a2200, while introducing redesigned portraits, national landmarks and Adinkra symbols intended to reflect Ghana’s history, culture and national identity.<\/p>\n The Heritage Series is scheduled to enter circulation on December 1, 2026. Existing banknotes will continue to remain legal tender alongside the new notes.<\/p>\n Although the Bank of Ghana has defended the portrait selection, the controversy has placed the accuracy of historical representation on the new currency under public scrutiny.<\/p>\n For a currency series designed to celebrate Ghanaian heritage, the discussion has highlighted the importance of ensuring that the individuals honoured are represented in a manner that is recognisable, accurate and respectful of their contributions to the country’s history.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Bank of Ghana has issued an official clarification over the portrait of Ghana’s national flag designer, Theodosia Salome Okoh, featured on the newly unveiled GH\u00a250 Heritage Series banknote, following public allegations that the image actually resembles her younger sister, Dr Letitia Obeng. The controversy emerged shortly after President John Dramani Mahama unveiled the new<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15851,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"no","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_122120882949417699_100649324928663":"","twitter_1160854738579181570_1160854738579181570":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[{"account":"facebook_122120882949417699_100649324928663","service":"facebook","timestamp":1794629136,"status":"success"},{"account":"twitter_1160854738579181570_1160854738579181570","service":"twitter","timestamp":1794629136,"status":"error"}],"rop_publish_now_status":"done","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,40],"tags":[3814,3823,3818,3819,3815,3820,3824,3822,3816,2445,3821,3817],"class_list":["post-15850","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-general-news","category-finance","tag-bank-of-ghana","tag-banknote-controversy","tag-dr-letitia-obeng","tag-eddie-obeng","tag-gh50-note","tag-ghana-currency","tag-ghana-history","tag-ghana-national-flag","tag-heritage-series","tag-national-heritage","tag-new-ghana-cedi","tag-theodosia-okoh"],"yoast_head":"\n