DUAL CITIZENS MUST HOLD PUBLIC OFFICE ...*GLU Tells Gov't

A report by Isaac Nuamah Yeboah

THE Ghana Leadership Union (GLU), a governance think tank dedicated to promoting better and quality leadership in Ghana and more especially, on the African Continent, is calling on the Legislature and the Executive to reconsider or re-examine the constitutional provision that bars dual citizens from holding public office in the country.

Article 8(2) of the constitution seeks to exclude dual citizens from holding positions such as Ambassador or High Commissioner; Secretary to the Cabinet; Chief of Defense Staff or any Service Chief, Inspector General of Police; (v) Commissioner, Customs, Excise and Preventive Service; (vi) Director of Immigration Service; and (vii) Any office specified by an Act of Parliament.

The group, which is mainly made of Ghanaians and other Africans in the Diaspora, is of the opinion that, a review of the provision, will boost the development of the country as many of skilled and qualified Ghanaians will bring their much needed expertise to bear in various sectors of the economy.

Speaking to Daily STAR last Wednesday, a leading member of the group, Professor S. Kwaku Asare said, the stance of the country's leaders on the dual citizen issue is very hypocritical in the sense that, the same government officials see nothing wrong with athletes and footballers such as Kelvin Prince Boateng and Adam Kwarasey, who play for the national team even though they hold dual citizenship.

Citing a Deputy Chief of Staff, Alex Segbefia, who claimed holds dual citizenship as an example, he says Alex Segbefia holds a very sensitive and influential office adding that this goes to buttress his point that other Ghanaians with dual citizenship can hold sensitive national office and perform very well.

He contends that if footballers with dual citizenship have the right to play for the national team, then, other Ghanaians should also be allowed to serve in other national positions.

Professor Asare debunked the assertions that dual citizens may have double allegiances and that it would not be a wise security decision to employ them at the national level.

He further said such an argument does not hold water especially when many of these dual citizens were educated abroad with tax-payers' money.

According to him, the nation must not allow the money invested in the education of these Ghanaians to go waste and let them bring their expertise to bear on national development.

He explained that many of these dual citizens have garnered enough experience in the developed world and have risen through the ranks to become high qualified professionals in various fields, adding that there is no doubt that, they will transfer their acquired knowledge, expertise and skills onto the country's governance structure.

Professor Asare said that the leadership of GLU will not rest on their oars, but will continue to pile pressure on the authorities concerned to ensure that dual citizens are given the opportunity to serve as national officers in order to accelerate the country's development.