Floyd's death to inspire change in America: Ghanaian president

Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo expressed his hope here late Monday that the death of George Floyd would inspire a lasting change in how America confronts head on the problems of hate and racism.

Describing Floyd's death as "unfortunate and tragic" on social media, Akufo-Addo said black people over the world are shocked and distraught by the killing of the unarmed black man by a white police officer in the U.S..

African American Floyd died on May 25 shortly after a white police officer in Minneapolis held him down with a knee on his neck for almost nine minutes despite pleas by Floyd he was struggling to breathe, which ignited violent protests in dozens of U.S. cities.

"It can't be right that in the 21st century, the U.S., this great bastion of democracy, continues to grapple with the problem of systemic racism," he said.

"It carried with it an all too painful familiarity and an ugly reminder," said the president, adding that Ghanaians stand with their kith and kin in America in these difficult and trying times.