The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has unveiled the new GH¢10 banknote as part of the Cedi Heritage Series, with its design anchored in women's contributions to Ghana's judiciary, specifically honouring Justice Annie Jiagge.
The front of the note features the intaglio portrait of Justice Annie Jiagge (1918–1996), a towering figure in Ghana's legal history. Jiagge broke multiple barriers as the nation's first female judge and the second woman in the British Commonwealth to hold a judicial position.
Her distinguished career included serving as President of the Court of Appeal from 1980 to 1983 and becoming the first African President of the World YWCA from 1975 to 1983.
Her influence transcended Ghana's borders through her contribution to the drafting of the UN Declaration on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women in 1967.
The back of the note features the Supreme Court of Ghana, located in Accra. As the highest court for the administration of justice, its distinctive architecture signals Ghana's commitment to constitutional democracy, the rule of law, and judicial independence, combining modern elements with symbolic features drawn from traditional Ghanaian concepts of justice.
The pairing of Justice Jiagge with the Supreme Court building expresses Ghana's commitment to justice and equality.
Jiagge personifies the breaking of the glass ceiling within the legal profession, while the court building stands for the institution her career helped to shape. Furthermore, Ghana's cultural heritage is woven into the note through the Adinkra symbol "Epa," depicted as handcuffs and understood as a symbol of law and justice, which appears at the back of the banknote and among the background graphical elements at the front.
The new GH¢10 note is made of reinforced cotton paper, designed to last longer than the previous notes, and is smaller and easier to handle. It will circulate alongside the old notes, which will be gradually withdrawn by banks.