The unveiling of Ghana’s new Cedi Heritage Series has triggered controversy after claims emerged that the photograph used to represent national flag designer Theodosia Salome Okoh on the GH¢50 note may belong to another person.
The concerns surfaced just hours after President John Dramani Mahama officially unveiled the new banknote series, introduced by the Bank of Ghana to honour eight prominent personalities whose contributions have shaped the country’s history, culture and development.
The controversy was first raised by Dr Eddie Obeng, a Ghanaian academic who is reportedly a nephew of Theodosia Okoh.
In a LinkedIn post, Dr Obeng expressed surprise after examining the new currency, claiming that the photograph used on the GH¢50 note was actually that of his mother rather than his aunt.
He said he had initially been excited to learn that his aunt, who designed Ghana’s national flag after independence from Britain, had been honoured on the new banknotes.
However, his excitement reportedly turned to disbelief when he examined the portrait.
“I have a wry smile on my face that won’t go away, and occasionally I shake my head or giggle,” he wrote.
Recounting how he discovered the alleged mix-up, Dr Obeng said he had begun composing a congratulatory message to his cousin after hearing about the honour.
“Imagine my surprise when I took a look and realised that they have used a picture of my mother instead – she’s famous for being the country’s first lady PhD. You can’t make it up,” he added.
Afenyo-Markin criticises government over alleged error
The claims have also drawn criticism from Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who accused the Mahama-led government of using the wrong photograph to represent Theodosia Okoh on the new GH¢50 note.
Speaking to journalists after the presentation of the 2027 Budget Statement and Economic Policy on Thursday, November 12, 2026, Afenyo-Markin questioned the process used to select the images featured on the redesigned currency.
He suggested that the government had rushed to remove the portraits of the Big Six from Ghana’s banknotes, resulting in the alleged error.
“They were in haste to erase the Big Six from our currency and our history. Out of that haste and hate, we saw them outdooring a note bearing the name of Theodosia Okoh, but they got her picture wrong and placed a different face on the GH¢50 note,” he said.
The Minority Leader further used the controversy to question the government’s attention to detail, arguing that the alleged mistake raised concerns about its ability to manage the economy.
“So, a whole government machinery that cannot be diligent enough to get the right picture to put on our currency, how can we trust them with our economy? Can we trust them to put money in our pockets?” he asked.
Koku Anyidoho seeks clarity
Former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho, has also weighed in on the controversy, expressing uncertainty over whether the claims were accurate.
In a social media post on November 12, 2026, he questioned the authenticity of the reports and said he was struggling to understand the development.
“So, is this just mere propaganda or it is the truth? Honestly, I am finding it extremely difficult to wrap anything around this issue … Phew!!!!!!!!!” he wrote.
The claims have raised questions about the accuracy of the portraits featured in the newly introduced Cedi Heritage Series. However, the allegations surrounding the GH¢50 note photograph remain disputed in the accounts provided, with no official confirmation of a mix-up included in the reports.
