The Member of Parliament for Akim Swedru, Kennedy Osei Nyarko, has presented a Private Member’s Bill before the House the Citizenship Bill amended.
The MP presented the nill before the House on Thursday, October 29, 2021.
If passed, the bill will amend the constitution to remove restrictions imposed on dual citizens and persons who owe allegiance to a country other than Ghana from holding public office.
The bill, if passed, would allow citizens to hold positions such as Ambassador or High Commissioner, Secretary to Cabinet, Chief Of Defence Staff, Inspector General of Police, Director of immigration service and Member of Parliament.
The was referred to the Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs Committee for consideration and report.
Article 94 (2A) states that “a person shall not be qualified to be a member of Parliament if he – (a) owes allegiance to a country other than Ghana”. This and several other provisions of the constitution places restrictions on dual citizens from political participation in Ghana, especially, in public elections.”
A lawyer and accounting professor, Prof. Kwaku Asare aka Kwaku Azar had challenged the explanation given by some individuals on the position of the law on dual citizenship.
The outspoken lawyer in his article explained that allegiance is not citizenship.
He says Ghanaians must reject attempts to disqualify any Ghanaian from Parliament because there is no constitutional basis for such disqualification.
According to him, these same politicians opportunistically interpreted allegiance as citizenship, even though a careful reading of the Constitution and common law suggests otherwise.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
