……National flag designer’s nephew exposes wrong photograph on new cedi note
The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has come under fire following an embarrassing apparent mix-up in its newly unveiled Heritage Series banknotes, after it emerged that the photograph featured on the GH¢50 note, intended to honour the late Theodosia Salome Okoh, designer of Ghana’s national flag, appears to be that of her younger sister, Dr Letitia Eva Takyibea Obeng.
The apparent blunder, which has attracted attention following yesterday, Thursday, November 12, 2026, unveiling of the redesigned currency, was brought to public attention by internationally acclaimed Ghanaian-born educator and business consultant, Professor Eddie Obeng, who identified Dr Letitia Obeng as his mother.
In a LinkedIn post, Professor Obeng expressed a mixture of amusement, disbelief and surprise after discovering that the central bank had apparently used his mother’s photograph to honour his aunt, Theodosia Okoh.
Theodosia Okoh, who died in 2015, is celebrated for designing Ghana’s national flag, featuring the iconic red, gold and green horizontal stripes with a black star at the centre.
Her younger sister, Dr Letitia Obeng, is herself a distinguished Ghanaian scientist, widely recognized as the first Ghanaian woman to obtain a doctorate.
However, the apparent confusion between the two accomplished sisters has raised questions about the Bank of Ghana’s verification processes and the historical accuracy of the portraits selected for the new currency.
Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has not spared the BoG and the government, accusing them of failing to verify the actual image on the GHC50 note, which led to the embarrassing spectacle. He said this while criticizing the budget statement delivered in Parliament yesterday by Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.
Professor Obeng, reacting to the development, wrote: “I have a wry smile on my face that won’t go away, and occasionally I shake my head or giggle.”
He explained that he had initially been delighted to learn that his aunt had been honoured on one of the country’s newly issued banknotes.
“So, I heard this morning that my aunt had been honoured in a new series of issued banknotes in Ghana – she’s famous there for designing the country’s flag after independence from Britain. I was very proud and began composing a message to my cousin…”
However, his excitement quickly turned into astonishment when he examined the banknote and recognized the portrait.
“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.”
He concluded his post with the remark: “You can’t make it up.”
The disclosure is particularly embarrassing for the Bank of Ghana because the Heritage Series was introduced to celebrate the achievements of distinguished Ghanaians whose contributions have shaped the country’s political, economic, scientific and cultural development.
The redesigned GH¢50 banknote features a woman’s portrait alongside national symbols, including the Black Star and the Independence Arch.
However, Professor Obeng’s account suggests that although the note was intended to celebrate Theodosia Okoh, the image selected was that of her sister. A substantial amount would have been spent on the GH¢50 banknotes.
The apparent error raises questions about whether the central bank consulted the families of the personalities being honoured or subjected the selected portraits to independent historical verification before approving the final designs.
It also raises concerns about the quality-control procedures involved in the design, printing and eventual circulation of the country’s currency.
The Bank of Ghana unveiled the upgraded Heritage Series at its headquarters, Bank Square, in Accra yesterday, November 12, 2026, at a ceremony attended by President John Dramani Mahama.
The new banknotes are intended to replace the collective portraits of the country’s independence leaders, popularly known as the Big Six, with individual portraits celebrating prominent national personalities.
The initiative is also designed to improve the durability of Ghana’s currency, introduce enhanced security features and celebrate the country’s national heritage.
However, the apparent misidentification on the GH¢50 note threatens to overshadow an important aspect of the initiative.
Theodosia Salome Okoh remains one of Ghana’s most celebrated national figures, having designed the country’s flag ahead of independence in 1957.
Her design has become one of Ghana’s most enduring national symbols, representing the sacrifices of the independence struggle, the country’s natural wealth and its commitment to African freedom.
Dr Letitia Obeng, on the other hand, made her mark in science and academia, becoming a pioneering Ghanaian zoologist and environmental scientist whose achievements opened doors for generations of women in scientific research.
Both women deserve recognition for their respective contributions to Ghana’s development, but the apparent substitution of one sister’s photograph for the other’s has generated questions about the care taken in preparing the commemorative currency.
The incident also poses a potential challenge for the central bank, particularly if the affected banknotes have already been printed in substantial quantities before their introduction into circulation.
Any decision to correct the portrait could have implications for printing costs, distribution arrangements and the implementation timetable.
It remains unclear whether the apparent mistake affects only the promotional images of the GH¢50 note or the final banknotes intended for public circulation on December 1, 2026.
As of the time of this report, there had been no official explanation from the Bank of Ghana concerning Professor Obeng’s disclosure or whether steps would be taken to correct the apparent error.
The controversy is likely to intensify calls for the central bank to explain how such a mix-up could have escaped detection during the design and approval stages of a major national currency project.
For Professor Obeng, however, the discovery has produced an extraordinary family moment a national honour intended for his aunt appears to have been illustrated with the face of his mother.
And, as he succinctly put it, “You can’t make it up.”
There are, however, claims that a complaint from the family has been lodged with BoG.
Both Dr Letitia Obeng and her sister, Theodosia, went to Achimota School.
Profile of Letitia Eva Takyibea Obeng
Letitia Eva Takyibea Obeng (January 10, 1925 – March 23, 2023) a pioneering Ghanaian scientist who achieved a remarkable career in her field, broke down gender barriers, and made significant contributions to the advancement of science in Ghana and beyond. She was the first female scientist in Ghana, and her contributions to the field of science have had a significant impact on Ghana’s development.
Letitia Eva Takyibea Obeng was born on January 10, 1925 at Anum in the Eastern Region, Gold Coast (now Ghana) and was the fifth of eight children of Rev. Emmanuel Victor Sihene, the 13th Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and Mrs. Dora Asihene who died when Letitia was only 9.
Letitia started her primary education at Abetifi-Kwahu in the Eastern Region and continued at a middle school in Kyebi also in the Eastern Region. She had her secondary school education at Achimota School, Accra from 1939 to 1946 when she took the London University International Examination since there was no university in the then Gold Coast (now Ghana), those who passed that examination had to continue their university education abroad.
With a government scholarship, she went ahead to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Zoology at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom where she was the only African female student studying the programme. Her choice of study was influenced by time spent at her father’s rural farm in Ghana, where she was entranced by the myriad of plants and insects she discovered there. Letitia Obeng was the first Ghanaian female to be awarded a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and Botany (1952) a Master of Science degree in Parasitology (1962) and a PhD from the University of Liverpool’s School of Tropical Medicine (1964). She has been described as “the grandmother of female scientists in Ghana”.
She always found herself in the minority because she was first a woman studying in the field and secondly because she was a black African, but she was not bothered at all. She never thought of the world being a man’s world and that gave her the urge that women could also do what men did and even do it much better if they worked towards it with determination. Being so proud to be an African, Dr Letitia Obeng was always in her native cloth, which she was soo proud of as an African. She recounted her experience in England just before she graduated. As the rule was in those days, all female students of the university of Birmingham had to wear black skirt and white blouse on the day of graduation but the young female African, who was passionate of her native dress managed to get the university authorities to change her dress code for her by writing to the Chancellor’s office asking for permission to wear her native cloth for graduation which they agreed.
Upon her return to Ghana after her studies, she lectured at the University College of Science and Technology now Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology from 1952 to 1959. There she trained many of Ghana’s early pharmacists, agriculturalists, and doctors. She moved on to the National Research Council now Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) where she was the first scientist to be recruited.
She went on to establish the Institute of Aquatic Biology for the Ghana Academy of Sciences where she later served as a fellow and the first female president. She co-managed the Volta Research Project where she addressed environmental issues affecting the Volta Lake. In 1974 she began work as an Officer at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in charge of water and soil, in the Global Environment Programme. She moved on to become the Director of UNEP Regional Office for Africa.
Letitia’s achievements are numerous, and a testament to her determination, intellect, and passion for science. In 1997, she was the first female to be awarded the CSIR Award for Distinguished Career and Service to Science and Technology Award. The CSIR Laboratory was named the Letitia Obeng Block. A meeting room at the Novotel in Liverpool’s Padding Village is also named after her. Letitia was awarded Ghana’s highest honour: Order of the Star of Ghana, in 2006. She was an affiliate member of several organisations and institutions including New York Academy of Sciences, the Stockholm Environment Institute, Africa Leadership Forum, among many others.
Letitia Obeng died on 23 March 2023, at the age of 98.
