A pressure and advocacy group, We The People Matter Movement (WTMM) is advocating for the amendment of Article 94 of the 1992 Constitution to enable Ghanaian-born with dual citizen status abroad to hold political positions in the country.
According to a statement signed by the convener of the group in Accra, Ghanaians in the Diaspora have contributed so much to the growth of the economy since independence and continue to contribute their quota to the development of the economy.
The statement said April 2019 report of the World Bank titled ‘Migration and Remittance: Recent Developments and Outlook’ indicated that Ghana benefited from an amount of over three billion Dollars for the year 2018.
The statement explained that this represented 7.3 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the year in review.
The statement indicated that aside these many of these Ghanaian -born dual citizen holders heavily contributed to the campaign machineries of the various presidential candidates namely ex-president John Agyekum Kufour, late John Atta-Mills, ex-president John Mahama and the current president Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Below is the full statement issued by the group:
WE THE PEOPLE MATTER MOVEMENT: ADVOCATING FOR THE AMENDMENT OF ARTICLE 94(2)(a) TO ALLOW GHANAIAN BORN DUAL CITIZENS TO CONTEST FOR ELECTIONS AS MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT IN GHANA
Ghanaians in the diaspora have contributed so much to the growth of the economy since independence.
A recent April 2019 report (page 23) by the World Bank titled “MIGRATION AND REMITTANCES: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS AND OUTLOOK (MIGRATION AND DEVELOPMENT BRIEF 31),” reported a $3.8 billion remittance to Ghana for the year 2018.
This represents 7.3% of the country’s GDP in 2018. Aside contributing to the economy, Ghanaians in the diaspora have also contributed campaign funds to basically all the presidential candidates: Kuffour, Atta Mills, John Mahama, and Nana Addo.
All these leaders after winning their presidencies have always turned around to make calls urging Ghanaians in the diaspora to come home and contribute to Ghana’s development.
Unfortunately, none of them have taken the bold step to call for a constitutional amendment for article 94(2)(a) to give chance to Ghanaian born dual citizens to be eligible to contest for elections as a Member of Parliament.
Let’s treat our fellow Ghanaians in the diaspora fairly by amending article 94(2)(a) of the constitution so as to actively involve them in leadership roles.
Although politics is not the only way to contribute to the service of the nation, it is one of the significant ways to do so.
As the Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said “There is no single silver bullet to bring about change but politics is a significant way to bring about change.
People can bring change through faith based organisations, through entrepreneurship and private sector, journalism, law but politics remains a significant way so to do.
” Let’s all join our voices together to call for the amendment of article 94(2)(a).
Source: Cecil Kudjoe Mensah
