Ghana is set to receive about 2,000 looted artefacts from the Governments of the Netherlands and Germany in the coming days.

Ambassadors of both countries disclosed this during a meeting with President John Dramani Mahama at the Next Steps Conference, where they presented a catalogue of the artefacts.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, June 20, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa described the development as part of broader restitution efforts to address colonial-era appropriation of African cultural heritage.

In 2025, Manhyia Palace received one hundred and thirty (130) gold and bronze artworks from South Africa and Britain.

These artefacts, crafted in Kumasi, the Ashanti Region, about a century and a half ago, were purchased by AngloGold Ashanti and have now been returned to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, at the Manhyia Palace and to the museum.

Some of these pieces are aged between forty-five (45) and one hundred and sixty (160) years, reflecting governance systems in villages and towns as well as the socio-economic importance of gold.

In a ceremony marked by traditional Asante cultural protocols such as drumming, dancing, and the presence of chiefs and elders, some executives of AngloGold Ashanti, led by Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer Stuart Bailey, presented the items to the Asantehene. They were accompanied by the Managing Director of the Obuasi mine, Samuel Boakye Pobee, and former MP of Obuasi, Edward Ennin.

In 2024, twenty-eight artefacts looted during the Sagrenti War were returned to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in a ceremonial event at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.

The occasion coincided with the 100th anniversary of King Prempeh I's return from exile in Seychelles, marking a significant milestone in the Ashanti Kingdom's history.

The artefacts, which include gold jewellery, ceremonial swords, treasury padlocks, and other regalia, were taken by British forces during the war.

Over the years, they came into the possession of a West African art collector in 1922. AngloGold Ashanti, the mining company, later acquired the items in 2000 and, following negotiations with the Manhyia Palace, facilitated their return.

Stewart Bailey, the Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Director of AngloGold Ashanti, praised the company’s role in ensuring the artefacts’ return.

He highlighted the collaborative effort that made the repatriation possible and expressed gratitude to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Seychelles President Wavel Ramkalawan, and other dignitaries present.

"This return is a testament to what unity and partnership can achieve in preserving and honouring cultural legacies," Bailey remarked.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II acknowledged the importance of the return, describing it as a significant step in healing the wounds of history.

He expressed his gratitude for the gesture, which he believes contributes to restoring the dignity of the Ashanti Kingdom.

The Sagrenti War, also known as the Yaa Asantewaa War, marked a key moment in the Ashanti Kingdom’s resistance against British colonial forces, led by Nana Yaa Asantewaa, Queen Mother of Ejisu.

Following the war, King Prempeh I was exiled, and many cultural artefacts were taken by the British.

The repatriated artefacts will be displayed at the Manhyia Palace Museum, offering the public a chance to engage with these important cultural treasures.

The return is part of a wider commemoration of King Prempeh I’s return, which includes a grand durbar and a symposium on his lasting legacy.