The framework of citizenship law in Ghana has been amended several times, and is currently set forth in chapter III of the 1992 Constitution and the Citizenship Act 2000. The constitution provides that a person born after it entered into force, whether inside or outside Ghana “shall become a citizen of Ghana at the date of his birth if either of his parents or grandparents is or was citizen of Ghana.” It also provides for a presumption of citizenship in favour of children of unknown parents. Ghana has allowed dual citizenship since amendments to the constitution in 1996.
In 2015, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child welcomed substantial improvements in the area of birth registration, but called for strengthened efforts to ensure all children are registered. The Committee also recommended that Ghana strengthen the protections against statelessness in its national laws. In 2019, Ghana pledged to accede to the two statelessness conventions and to identify groups at risk of statelessness in Ghana.
A large number of refugees from Liberia fled into Ghana during Liberia’s long civil war, which led to a protracted refugee situation of Liberian refugees in Ghana, sparking discussion of whether or not refugees should be allowed to naturalize.
By Emmanuel K Dogbevi Applying for and getting a travel document such as a passport in most African countries can be a traumatic experience for most citizens. Despite advances in technology, which normally should improve service delivery in particular for […]
The Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Prof. Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah, has said over 800,000 printed national identification cards (Ghana Card) remain uncollected. According to Prof. Attafuah, the NIA has opened a total of 276 district offices which […]
In this blog, Isaac Owusu Nsiah critically discusses the dynamics of the Ghanaian state’s recognition of the Fulani community as migrants and thus non-Ghanaians. He considers how such categorizations are institutionalised in citizen-identifying institutions, translating into widespread exclusions and discriminatory […]
The General Secretary of Tabital Pulaaku International – Ghana chapter, Yakubu Musah Barry, has made an alarming claims regarding the denial of citizenship and discriminatory practices faced by the Fulani community in Ghana. In a recent press conference held in […]
By Ayang Macdonald Ghana’s Electoral Commission (EC) is hoping to be second time lucky in convincing parliament to approve its plan of making the Ghana Card the only ID document required for voter registration. The EC plans to take back […]
By Ayang Macdonald A proposal for the amendment of Ghana’s electoral law to make the Ghana Card the only ID document to confirm one’s identity at the time of enlisting on the voter roll has been a source of discord […]
By Jonas Nyabor Ahead of Ghana’s crucial general elections in 2024, the electoral commission is proposing a constitutional change that will make a controversial national identity card the sole document for confirming one’s nationality and age to register as a […]
By Eric Nana Yaw Kwafo The Minority in Parliament has made a strong argument why it is against the decision by the Electoral Commission (NDC) to rely on only the Ghana Card for voter registration. In a new Constitutional Instrument […]
The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MOTAC), have held a Ghanaian Citizenship ceremony for two of the three last-known living survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre. The two, 108-year-old Viola Fletcher, and her […]
Extracts relevant to Africa: Mobilizing governments and civil society On 14 February, in Kenya, the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) in collaboration with Haki Centre Organization, Kwale Human Rights Network and UNHCR, organized a meeting in Kwale County, between Members […]
By Stephen Kwaku Asare, Professor Article 94(2)(a) provides that a person is not qualified to be a member of Parliament if he owes allegiance to a country other than Ghana. This article did not and could not have aimed at […]
Delali Adogla-Bessa The Head of Corporate Affairs of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Abudu Abdul Ganiyu, has assured concerned persons in Zongo communities that its personnel will not discriminate against them during the Ghana Card registration. “Nothing will be done […]