Government ready for ROPAL - President

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says his administration is ready to engage the Electoral Commission to ensure that the Representation of the People’s Amendment Law is implemented.

According to the President, the determination of the New Patriotic Party government to ensure that ROPAL is implemented is informed by a pledge contained in the party’s 2016 manifesto.

He added that this would ensure the full participation of Ghanaians living in the diaspora in the country's political and economic activities.

The President was speaking yesterday at this year’s diaspora homecoming summit held at the Accra International Conference Centre, where he reaffirmed his commitment to Ghanaians in the diasporas that his government was ready to partner them to build a prosperous Ghana.

The Summit is on the theme: “Development, Opportunity and Value.”

“Twelve years after its passage into law, I believe the time to implement ROPAL is now,” President Nana Akufo-Addo said.

The President said since most West African countries have their citizens abroad voting, he wondered why Ghana cannot do same.

“There is widespread consensus amongst Ghanaians, both home and abroad, for the implementation of this law. Already, a group has sued the Electoral Commission over the non-implementation of the law. We await the outcome of that suit. Notwithstanding the suit, I wish to assure that my government will continue to engage with the Electoral Commission and its Chairperson, Madam Charlotte Osei, to ensure that whatever is needed to bring the law into effect is done,” the President said.

President Nana Akufo-Addo also disclosed that his government was in the process of reviewing the law on dual nationality.

“The same process of engagement is being undertaken to review the dual citizenship law and its effect. The process should conclude soon,” he assured.

In his welcome address, Chairman of the Ghana diaspora Homecoming Summit Committee, Alex Dadey, stated that the summit was being organized in fulfillment of the President’s promise to include Ghanaians in the diaspora in the socio-economic transformation of the country.

“We know how important you take this constituency so much that within a week after you won the election, you began the process of engaging with the Diaspora through this summit,” he added.

He assured the President that, as Ghanaian Diasporans, they were ready to support the government’s transformational agenda. “We are here to offer to Ghana the vast expertise, knowledge and capital we have acquired in our host countries. We are here to complement what is already being done but from another perspective,” he stressed.