The government has endorsed constitutional reforms that would allow Ghanaians with dual citizenship to contest parliamentary elections and hold several senior public offices without renouncing their foreign nationality.
Attorney General and Minister for Justice Dr. Dominic Ayine announced the decision while presenting the government’s White Paper on the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) recommendations.
The reform would remove the existing constitutional requirement that Ghanaian citizens by birth must renounce any foreign citizenship before contesting for Parliament, a provision that has long been criticised by members of the Ghanaian diaspora.
Dr. Ayine said the current restrictions are outdated and do not reflect Ghana’s growing engagement with its diaspora community.
“The current disqualification sits uneasily with our engagement with the diaspora and with the realities of modern citizenship,” he said.
Under the accepted recommendation, dual citizens would also become eligible for a range of senior public positions, including Chief Justice, Speaker of Parliament and Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, provided they satisfy all other constitutional qualifications.
However, the government has retained a key restriction by reserving the offices of President and Vice President for persons who do not hold multiple citizenship.
The proposed reforms are intended to broaden participation in public service and harness the expertise of Ghanaians living abroad, many of whom have argued that the existing constitutional framework excludes them from contributing directly to national governance.
The changes form part of a wider constitutional reform agenda aimed at modernising Ghana’s governance framework and strengthening democratic participation.
The proposals will still have to go through the required constitutional amendment process before they can take effect.
