The 2026 Emancipation Day Celebration at the historic Pikworo Slave Camp in Nania-Paga has brought renewed global attention to Ghana’s role in reconnecting Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral roots, following the revelation that a DNA ancestry research project has traced about 6,000 people of African descent to Paga in the Upper East Region.

The announcement was made by the Chairman of the Paga Youth Movement (PAYOM), Wenawome Duriyem Aborah, during the annual commemoration held under the theme, “Reconnecting Roots, Celebrating Freedom, Experience Ghana.” The event attracted government officials, traditional authorities, members of the African diaspora, tourism stakeholders and local residents to honour the resilience of enslaved Africans while strengthening cultural and historical ties between Africa and its descendants abroad.

According to Mr. Aborah, the groundbreaking research was conducted by Dr. Lukisha David, a genealogist with the Department of Anthropology at Illinois State University in the United States. The study involved the collection of approximately 96 DNA samples from residents of the Pikworo Slave Camp, Nania and surrounding communities in Paga to help people of African descent trace their ancestral origins.

“We want to use this occasion to thank Dr. Lukisha David, who carried out research by taking about 96 DNA samples in this Pikworo Slave Camp, Nania, and other communities in Paga to match Africans who wish to know their roots,” Mr. Aborah stated.

He revealed that the research has so far identified about 6,000 people of African descent whose ancestry traces directly to Paga, while many others have been linked to communities in Navrongo, Sandema, Bolgatanga, as well as parts of the Northern, Upper West and Savannah regions.

Mr. Aborah described the findings as a remarkable milestone in the global effort to reconnect descendants of enslaved Africans with their ancestral homeland. He said the project demonstrates how science, history and culture can work together to heal the painful legacy of the transatlantic slave trade by restoring lost family connections across generations.

One of the most notable outcomes of the research, he said, is the case of Madam Carol Ammons, the 103rd State Representative of Illinois in the United States, whose ancestral lineage was traced to Paga through the DNA project.

Following the discovery, Madam Ammons travelled to Nania, where she reunited with her ancestral family in an emotional homecoming ceremony. During her visit, the Paga Pio officially welcomed her and bestowed on her the traditional name “Alorisongo,” meaning “I have traced my roots home.”

Mr. Aborah noted that the successful reunification highlights the immense value of preserving historical sites such as the Pikworo Slave Camp while expanding genealogical research initiatives that reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their heritage.

He urged stakeholders to continue investing in heritage tourism, historical preservation and scientific research, stressing that such initiatives have the potential to position Paga as one of Africa’s leading destinations for ancestral homecoming.

The Pikworo Slave Camp remains one of Ghana’s most significant slave route sites, serving as a powerful reminder of the transatlantic slave trade and a symbol of resilience, remembrance and reconciliation. Organisers of the 2026 Emancipation Day celebration expressed optimism that the latest DNA discoveries would inspire more descendants of enslaved Africans to visit Ghana, reconnect with their roots and contribute to the country’s cultural and tourism development.