The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has officially responded to public controversy surrounding the portrait featured on the newly unveiled GH¢50 Heritage Series banknote, firmly rejecting claims that the image was mistakenly modeled after a photograph of Dr. Letitia Obeng rather than her late sister, national flag designer Theodosia Salome Okoh.
Public scrutiny intensified following the unveiling of the Heritage Series on November 12, 2026, with several observers and commentators arguing that the engraving on the GH¢50 note bore a striking resemblance to Dr. Obeng instead of Mrs. Okoh.
In a statement released through its Communications Department on November 13, 2026, the central bank explained that the portrait was crafted using multiple archival photographs of Theodosia Okoh. However, the BoG noted that specific artistic adjustments made during the banknote engraving process necessary to satisfy strict currency security and printing standards altered her familiar likeness.
According to the bank, replacing Mrs. Okoh’s well-known head tie with a hairstyle typical of her era was a key modification that inadvertently made the final engraving resemble her sister, sparking confusion over the portrait’s identity.
“The Bank confirms that the portrait was developed from different photographs of Mrs. Okoh and not from a photograph of her sister, Dr. Letitia Obeng,” the central bank stated.
The BoG thanked the Okoh family and the Ghanaian public for their vigilance in protecting the accuracy of the nation’s historical legacy. It stressed that the banknote was designed to honor Theodosia Okoh’s enduring contribution to Ghana’s national identity and assured citizens that distinguished figures featured on the country’s currency will always be depicted with dignity and respect ahead of the Heritage Series entering circulation on December 1, 2026.
https://t.co/ex3QA1dNUm
— Bank of Ghana (@thebankofghana) November 13, 2026
Source: Thepressradio.com
