Accra: Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has announced that the government has accepted a recommendation from the Constitutional Review Committee (CRC) to permit Ghanaians with dual citizenship to hold public office, with the exception of the presidency and vice presidency. This significant policy change marks a shift in the approach to dual citizenship and political participation in Ghana.
According to Ghana Web, Dr. Ayine presented the government's White Paper on the CRC's recommendations on July 30, 2026. He emphasized that the existing restrictions on dual citizens are no longer aligned with Ghana's engagement with its diaspora and the evolving nature of modern citizenship. The accepted recommendation specifically allows Ghanaian citizens by birth, who also hold citizenship in another country, to run for parliamentary elections without the need to renounce their foreign citizenship.
In a livestreamed address at the Government Accountability Series, Dr. Ayine stated, "The government has also accepted the recommendation on dual citizenship. A citizen of Ghana by birth who holds the citizenship of another country will no longer be barred from contesting for election to Parliament, only on account of his/her dual citizenship and will not be required to renounce the other citizenship."
He further explained that the current constitutional provision limits the participation of Ghanaians abroad who are eager to contribute to national development through public service. "The current disqualification sits uneasily with our engagement with the diaspora and with the realities of modern citizenship," Dr. Ayine noted. However, he clarified that the positions of president and vice president will remain exclusive to individuals without multiple citizenships.