Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has officially launched the Cedi@60 celebration, urging Ghanaians to safeguard the gains made in stabilizing the national currency through fiscal discipline, accountability, and confidence in the Ghana Cedi.
Speaking at the ceremony in Accra, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang described the 60th anniversary of the Cedi as not just a celebration of longevity but a reflection on Ghana’s economic journey, national identity, and sovereignty.
“It was in July 1965 that the Cedi replaced the Ghanaian pound, pence, and shillings a bold plan by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah to free our economy from colonial structures,” she recalled. “That historic step signaled that our independence and sovereignty include the ability to express value and transact on our own terms.”
The Vice President underscored that the Cedi has borne witness to Ghana’s achievements and challenges over the decades, serving as both a symbol of sovereignty and a reflection of citizens’ trust in national institutions.
“Our currency is a social contract that reflects our confidence in our institutions and economy. A reliable Cedi helps businesses plan, enables better debt management, and provides households with stability and predictability,” she said.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang highlighted the nation’s resilience through economic crises from the 1980s structural adjustment programmes to the COVID-19 shocks and lauded recent progress underpinned by sound policy coordination between the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana.
“According to Bloomberg, the Ghana Cedi, branded the worst-performing currency in 2022, became in 2025 the best-performing currency globally,” she noted. “Inflation dropped from a high of 54.1% to 13.7%, and our international reserves now exceed 12 billion US dollars. Confidence is returning to markets, investors, and slowly, to our people.”
However, she cautioned that maintaining stability requires continuous commitment to prudent economic management.
“Confidence in the Cedi will not sustain itself. Government must lead by example and commit to real fiscal discipline no more reckless borrowing or surging deficits that pass today’s problems to tomorrow’s generations,” she emphasized.
The Vice President called for collaboration across all sectors from Parliament and the private sector to academia and the media to strengthen institutions that protect the Cedi.
“The strength of a currency lies in both what it buys and what it represents,” she said. “The Cedi is as strong as the institutions and people who protect it.”
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang also highlighted ongoing financial innovation efforts, including the E-Cedi, a digital version of Ghana’s currency being developed by the Bank of Ghana.
“Once fully scaled, the E-Cedi will modernize our payment systems and ensure that even in a cashless future, our national currency retains its importance,” she explained.
Concluding her remarks, the Vice President paid tribute to Ghana’s founding leaders and technocrats who have upheld monetary sovereignty and expressed optimism about the Cedi’s future.
“As we buy, sell, borrow, and save, we must remember that the Cedi has always been a symbol of national identity, resilience, and aspiration,” she said. “I am happy to declare the Ghana Cedi at 60 celebration officially launched. May God continue to bless our homeland Ghana.”
The Cedi@60 celebration marks six decades since the introduction of Ghana’s national currency and features a year-long series of exhibitions, public lectures, and educational programs to promote financial literacy and national pride.
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