An aspirant to the Chairmanship of the NDC-USA Dr. Justice Salifu has sworn to lead a campaign for the amendment of the provision in the constitution which has been used to bar Ghanaians holding dual citizenship from contesting in public elections in their country of birth.
According to him it is wrong for anyone to assume that a Ghanaian owes allegiance to a country merely by obtaining that country’s citizenship.
In an interview with Sena Nombo on the Gold Power Drive, The Management and Organization expert wondered why so called dual citizens can hold a position as powerful as that of Chief of Staff but cannot contest popular elections in Ghana.
Dr. Salifu expressed his sadness at the plight of two Members of Parliament who have been dragged before court for allegedly being dual citizens.
Since they were elected, Assin North MP James Gyakye Quayson and his colleague from Jomoro Dorcas Affo-Toffey have been in and out of court for contesting and winning parliamentary elections in their country of birth.
The petitioners in both cases allege that the two had not fully satisfied the requirement to renounce their second citizenship before the elections they contested.
In the case of the Assin North MP, a Cape Coast High Court annulled his elections despite the fact that he was cleared to contest by the Electoral Commission when the matter of his Canadian citizenship was raised by the same petitioner ahead of the 2020 Parliamentary elections.
The EC was of the opinion that Candidate James Gyakye Quayson had taken adequate steps within his control to renounce his Canadian citizenship before filing to contest the elections.
Dr. Salifu said if given the nod to be Chairperson of NDC-US, he would use their tenure to fight the constitutional provision that makes it difficult for most Ghanaians based outside the country to contest elections.
He said most Ghanaians living abroad obtain the citizenship of their host countries because it guarantees them ease of access to social services and employment opportunities.
He noted that despite taking on these citizenships, most Ghanaians invest a huge chunk of their incomes from these countries into the Ghanaian economy, in addition to supporting their families.
Dr. Salifu wondered the basis for questioning the allegiance of Ghanaians investing in their birth country merely because they take on the citizenship of their host countries.
Source: Radiogoldlive.com
