A legal commentator, Kweku Pumpuni Ofosu, has urged Parliament to pass the Constitution of the Republic of Ghana (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which he says would remove constitutional restrictions preventing dual citizens from holding certain public offices.
In an article published after the Speaker of Parliament reportedly announced on 7 July that the Council of State had advised against passage of the bill, Ofosu argued that the Council’s opinion is advisory rather than binding. He cited Article 291(2) of the Constitution in support of his position that Parliament is not required to follow the advice.
The writer contended that Ghana’s current rules create inconsistencies in eligibility for public office. He referred to a Supreme Court decision in May 2024 which, he said, invalidated statutory additions to the list of offices from which dual citizens were excluded. According to his account, the constitutional provisions themselves remain central to the proposed amendment.
Ofosu also pointed to the long-running legal dispute involving Assin North MP James Gyakye Quayson as an example of the consequences of citizenship restrictions. He argued that the rules can result in protracted litigation focused on citizenship documentation and the timing of renunciation.
The article made an economic and policy case for wider participation by Ghanaians with more than one nationality. Ofosu cited diaspora remittances, international professional networks and the contribution of returnees to Ghanaian institutions and businesses, arguing that dual nationals should be regarded as an asset rather than excluded from service.
He further argued that any concerns about sensitive appointments could be addressed through security vetting, declarations of foreign interests and narrowly defined requirements for particular offices, rather than a broad prohibition.
The proposed amendment concerns a politically and constitutionally significant question: whether citizenship of another country should continue to limit a Ghanaian’s eligibility for elected and appointed public positions. Ofosu’s intervention adds to the public debate, while the bill’s progress and the precise legal effect of recent court decisions remain matters for Parliament and the relevant state institutions.
