Ghanaian Citizenship

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• Zaaza 12 years ago

  It is also too late for me to go back to comments passed when you last published this. I have also worried myself sick about the question of whether anyone with knowledge on this issue will attempt to clear the air. First I w ...
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  It is also too late for me to go back to comments passed when you last published this. I have also worried myself sick about the question of whether anyone with knowledge on this issue will attempt to clear the air. First I wish to know the difference between a national and a citizen i.e if there are any. It may answer several questions at once. I still do not understand why someone can be declared and treated as a foreigner even though he still holds all the requirements eg birth certificate, nationality of parents and grandparents etc, which qualify him as a Ghanaian?

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• Kofi Ata, Cambridge, UK 12 years ago

  Mr Pobee-Mensah, I did not read your article when it was first published on June 20, 2013. First, let me state that the British Constitutional Monarchy does not mean that the Queen's word is the law. UK legislation, rules and ...
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  Mr Pobee-Mensah, I did not read your article when it was first published on June 20, 2013. First, let me state that the British Constitutional Monarchy does not mean that the Queen's word is the law. UK legislation, rules and regulations are properly debated or laid before both houses of parliament before they are passed and signed by the Queen.
  
  Second, it is no longer true that when Ghanaians acquire citizenship or nationality of another country they automatically lose their Ghanaian citizenship. The Citizenship Act 2000 (Act 591) is the proof.
  
  However, what still remains on Ghanaian Statute is the restriction on Ghanaians who acquire dual citizenship as far as holding certain public offices are concerned. This discrimination of barring Ghanaians with dual citizenship from holding certain public offices including being an MP was challenged by Prof Stephen Kwaku Asare but unfortunately the Supreme Court ruled that it should be maintained to avoid conflict of allegiance.
  
  In that same case, the Supreme Court ruled that the requirement to apply for dual citizenship and hold a dual citizenship certificate was unconstitutional and therefore null and void. This was in May 2012 so Ghanaians who have acquired citizenship of another county no longer have to apply for dual citizenship. They automatically retain their Ghanaian citizenship. As a result if you have both (valid) British and Ghanaian passports, you can travel to Ghana with your Ghanaian passport and return to UK with your UK passport without the need for a visa. However, if you want to travel to Ghana with only your UK passport then you will need a visa and you will be treated as British whilst in Ghana. You must enter Ghana with your Ghanaian passport to be treated as a Ghanaian.
  
  I have the Supreme Court ruling of May 2012 and if you leave your e-mail address, I will send you a copy.

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• BREAD 12 years ago

  Hi Uncle Kofi, God bless you for bringing this important update to many people. I need a copy and you can reach me on makrofi@hotmail.co.uk

  Hi Uncle Kofi, God bless you for bringing this important update to many people. I need a copy and you can reach me on makrofi@hotmail.co.uk

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• TonyPM 12 years ago

  Mr. Ata:
  I believe I said technically to refer to the word or the queen. I know that it is not how it is practised in Britain but in technical terms, I believe I am not mistaking. I will be happy to look at a copy of the S ...
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  Mr. Ata:
  I believe I said technically to refer to the word or the queen. I know that it is not how it is practised in Britain but in technical terms, I believe I am not mistaking. I will be happy to look at a copy of the Supreme Court ruling. You may send me a copy to anthonypmen@yahoo.com. Thanks

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• Kwaku 12 years ago

  Uncle Atta,
  
  Could you post the ruling on this medium. Many people are interested in the ruling. It is a very good first step. There are lawyers out there - Kwaku Azar, Kofi Atta, AMIDU and many more to come and defend t ...
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  Uncle Atta,
  
  Could you post the ruling on this medium. Many people are interested in the ruling. It is a very good first step. There are lawyers out there - Kwaku Azar, Kofi Atta, AMIDU and many more to come and defend the defenceless.

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• Amma 12 years ago

  Send me one please!keishamma@googlemail.com

  Send me one please!keishamma@googlemail.com

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• MENSAH 12 years ago

  Please,send me a copy of the SUPREME COURT RULING OF MAY 2012.
  My email address:
  dominionpea@rogers.com.
  
  Thank you,
  
  Mensah.

  Please,send me a copy of the SUPREME COURT RULING OF MAY 2012.
  My email address:
  dominionpea@rogers.com.
  
  Thank you,
  
  Mensah.

  reply
• american 12 years ago

  Gentle readers: It is commonplace throughout the world for nations to require you to pledge your allegiance to a country in order to become its' citizen. Also commonplace is the demand that in order for your pledge of allegia ...
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  Gentle readers: It is commonplace throughout the world for nations to require you to pledge your allegiance to a country in order to become its' citizen. Also commonplace is the demand that in order for your pledge of allegiance to be accepted by your prospective new country, you first renounce your allegiance, and therefore your citizenship to the country you are leaving. If you cannot bear to do the latter, then do not , gentle reader, expect to be given the privilege of doing the former.

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• OXB 12 years ago

  You certainly make sense. I am preparing myself to fight this tooth and nail and I think together we can quash this baseless so called provision in the constitution. I was not born then but I think before part of Togo became ...
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  You certainly make sense. I am preparing myself to fight this tooth and nail and I think together we can quash this baseless so called provision in the constitution. I was not born then but I think before part of Togo became Ghana, the people were offered the opportunity to vote or decide. I am not a law so I not sure if there is a way to take the county to international court to fight this. It is okay that our children who are born outside of the country are called to play sports for Ghana, yet their parents are denied their citizenship without course except having citizenship in another country. Even if you become a dual citizen you are more or less a second class citizen.

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• Ama Atta Addo USA 12 years ago

  Just remember ghana is for Ghanians. so long as your parents are Ghanians, you are a ghanaian. no one can take that right from you except God.

  Just remember ghana is for Ghanians. so long as your parents are Ghanians, you are a ghanaian. no one can take that right from you except God.

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• Nkwaseas3m 12 years ago

  I don't understand why Ghana Constitution took turns stating that a Ghanaian who has acquired a citizenship of another country is no more a Ghanaian even though both his /her parents are born Ghanaian. Ghanaians sat down and ...
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  I don't understand why Ghana Constitution took turns stating that a Ghanaian who has acquired a citizenship of another country is no more a Ghanaian even though both his /her parents are born Ghanaian. Ghanaians sat down and allowed Rawlings whose father a Britisher born out of wed lock-meaning a Bastard to become President of Ghana and to date given full Ghanaian amenities . You be my judge.

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• Eric 12 years ago

  If your father and mother are born Ghanaians, Than you are automatically a Ghanaian. No body in this world could take this Right from you.
  Who has the might to tell some one Born by Ghanaian parents that he or she is not a c ...
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  If your father and mother are born Ghanaians, Than you are automatically a Ghanaian. No body in this world could take this Right from you.
  Who has the might to tell some one Born by Ghanaian parents that he or she is not a citizen? forget about this nonesence and do what is right for our nation. yes we are citizens of other nations, aquired by naturaization, So what? what the F. has that got to do with my natural citizenship? Who the F. would tell me I am not a Ghanaian? get the F. out the here. Yes we are Ghanians this is what God has given us So?

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• Maxi A 12 years ago

  I know what my parents did and I know what I have done for my country. Though I am abroad, am not worried about all this stuff. When my children are ready and they decide to settle in Ghana and say hei we are Ghanaians... NO ...
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  I know what my parents did and I know what I have done for my country. Though I am abroad, am not worried about all this stuff. When my children are ready and they decide to settle in Ghana and say hei we are Ghanaians... NO ONE WILL OR CAN STOP THEM..... am sure these discussions can continue... but I have made my point.

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• Charlie King Addo 12 years ago

  They are laws borne out of panicky people. They live their lives in fear and to them everything and everybody is a threat. They can never get one thing done right so they make sure you never get anywhere near to come hang the ...
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  They are laws borne out of panicky people. They live their lives in fear and to them everything and everybody is a threat. They can never get one thing done right so they make sure you never get anywhere near to come hang them to dry. It does not get any more pathetic than this. We lost all the ships to this very people who put the constitution in place. All the factories went under and all the other infrastructures left to rot. A country led by freaks for such a lengthy time has created only vagabonds roaming our streets creating havoc. Life has lost its meaning in Ghana and unfortunately the architects of doom refuse to vamoose from the political landscape. We have oil but no one has seen the oil money after two years. We have gas but we don’t have even a tube full to show for it. Flared gas benefits nobody. We have a president but we are sure yet if he is really and truly the right man who won the election. A president with the magic wand for the black stars to win matches even when the players go to sleep on he pitch. We have been ruled by maniacs for years and to many Ghanaians it is all about insulting and punching ones way to solve all problems. It is so painful to be a Ghanaian now more than ever. Ghana is standing on its head so everything reads backwards or upside down. There are tribes that share and there are tribes that keep it all in the family. It is all about tribe. If the tribe that holds the key to the country is not going anywhere the whole country comes to a standstill. We are dealing with the backside of evil political culture. Even Atta Mills’s death was mysterious. I am still waiting for my dual citizenship cards. We have paid in full and the guy I talked to in Denmark said the risk of me not getting those cards is minimal. We are still waiting patiently.

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• Davld Livingstone UK 12 years ago

  Why would i need a card to testify that i am a Ghanian as my father put his live down for this country?
  My father was a born Ghanian, My mother also a born ghanaian, and I born in Ghana. I have been accorded a citizenship of ...
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  Why would i need a card to testify that i am a Ghanian as my father put his live down for this country?
  My father was a born Ghanian, My mother also a born ghanaian, and I born in Ghana. I have been accorded a citizenship of another country because I had to migrate with my Uncle after the killing of My parents during the urgly uprising of Mother Ghana. now why would I need a card to show that I am a Ghanian besides my Birth certificate issued to me at the 37 military hospitalif i wanted to come home permenetly?
  This is crazy any way I would come in as any Ghanian stay in my country as any other Ghanaian and do my own thing cool. If I intend to travel out side for some few days, i just lift up my Forieng passprt and leave and come back again. Why would I have to Travel with the Ghanaian Passport that require Visa every where one needs to go., and even collecting of the Visa has no grantee. One needs a visa with the Ghanaian passport even if one needs to go to the Bathroom? So why would I be crazy to get my self here in this situation.

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• Charles A. 12 years ago

  When the economy is biting in the white man's land then we start seeing things like these.
  
  When the honey was flowing abroad, no one cared about Ghanaian citizenship. Some were calling Ghana all sorts of names and other ...
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  When the economy is biting in the white man's land then we start seeing things like these.
  
  When the honey was flowing abroad, no one cared about Ghanaian citizenship. Some were calling Ghana all sorts of names and others vowed they would never go to Ghana any more.
  
  Now that the "greener pastures" have turned into hay fields, people have started talking about Ghanaian citizenship.
  
  By the way, if you think the people in Ghana care about those of you living abroad then you are deceiving yourself. They don't care a dime about you.

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• Charlie King Addo. 12 years ago

  Charles A, it is a shame how your mind works.Or does it?

  Charles A, it is a shame how your mind works.Or does it?

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• ASSAASE 12 years ago

  You are right, I`m also a Ghanaian-born citizen. We have to blame ourselves and face the truth. We have given up our identity. If you want to be a Ghanaian you should give up your foriegn identity.

  You are right, I`m also a Ghanaian-born citizen. We have to blame ourselves and face the truth. We have given up our identity. If you want to be a Ghanaian you should give up your foriegn identity.

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• samuel Tetteh Amah 12 years ago

  what have you got so far with your current identity as a Ghanaian? where you counted as a Ghanian, whe the so parliamenterian were been giving that bulky sum of money? so what the F. are you talking about. Look these gready b ...
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  what have you got so far with your current identity as a Ghanaian? where you counted as a Ghanian, whe the so parliamenterian were been giving that bulky sum of money? so what the F. are you talking about. Look these gready bustards even did not remmember the doctors who takes care of the when they are ill or sick. so what do you mean by Ghanaian identity? see no one would identify me or you better than the one (God) who nutrally accordrd you with the ghanaian citizenship and He is the only one who can take that away from me not these urgly law makers who only think of their stomach and only of their selfish intrest.
  Look I call them stomach direction politicans.
  I did not go through any rigged elections b4 I was born a Ghanian, so I belive no court, parliament nor any body could decide for me my natural gifted rights as a citizen of Ghana, I do what i want with my name and self

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• Innovation 12 years ago

  This is the sort of enviness that has kept Ghana backwards. You hste those who have competed globally and do not want them back in Ghana. You have a small mind because you have been confined to the minor league for so long. E ...
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  This is the sort of enviness that has kept Ghana backwards. You hste those who have competed globally and do not want them back in Ghana. You have a small mind because you have been confined to the minor league for so long. Every Ghanaian has the right to return to live in Ghana at anytime, whether naturalized or not. You dare not, you envious little mind !

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• Akwesi 12 years ago

  This the most boring article I have ever read. You can't eat your cake and have it back.
  identify yourself as bird, or as fish. you don't show up as goat when sheep are being counted. what motive lead you to take the citizen ...
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  This the most boring article I have ever read. You can't eat your cake and have it back.
  identify yourself as bird, or as fish. you don't show up as goat when sheep are being counted. what motive lead you to take the citizenship of another country, I think it was a matter of choice. don' become Ghanaian when you want favour and tend your back when it's time to build. I have travelled wide, I have studied wide. I have related extensively. but it has never crossed my mind to take up citizenship another country no matter how rosy they appeared. Ghana belongs to loyal people and for opportunists like you.
  I am one person who is against that dual citizenship thing. Remember Fujimore of Peru? When he wrecked the country he led as head of state, he run away to Japan to take cover as a citizen of Japan and could not be tried for his misdeeds. we don't want similar things of that nature to be visited on Ghana. stop wasting our ears for your personal gains.
  GET AWAY

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• Kwesipreko 12 years ago

  Well written my friend. I think the governments of Ghana value the visa fees they collect from its own sons and daughters more than restoring dignity to them.

  Well written my friend. I think the governments of Ghana value the visa fees they collect from its own sons and daughters more than restoring dignity to them.

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• samuel Tetteh Amah 12 years ago

  Visa fee or no Visa fee we are able to go round the world without no visa, so what is the matter with you? who born the dog?

  Visa fee or no Visa fee we are able to go round the world without no visa, so what is the matter with you? who born the dog?

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• Frimpong, USA 12 years ago

  Ghanaians abroad with foreign citizenship deserve to be treated as foreigners because they are unpatriotic, selfish and mean. When Ghana was going through hardship they run away to overseas, stayed there and choose to become ...
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  Ghanaians abroad with foreign citizenship deserve to be treated as foreigners because they are unpatriotic, selfish and mean. When Ghana was going through hardship they run away to overseas, stayed there and choose to become citizens
  of their new found haven. When they are ready to visit Ghana, they'd rather use their Ghanaian passports to enter Ghana to avoid paying a minimal fee for visa. I wish the government would take note and crack down on these selfish unpatriotic so called Ghanaians. I am a Ghanaian but never travel home to Ghana without obtaining a visa. We need to change our attitudes and mindset about our mother country before we can ask for anything.

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• samuel Tetteh Amah 12 years ago

  You are another fool. You are saying this because you are cripped in the motherland. We shall always come home to see you. How would you leave Ghana? You cant, because there is no way for you. You shall continually live and d ...
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  You are another fool. You are saying this because you are cripped in the motherland. We shall always come home to see you. How would you leave Ghana? You cant, because there is no way for you. You shall continually live and die in your dreams.

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• Innovation 12 years ago

  Some of those guys cannot compete globally, and they stay there envying people who have gone and worked hard outside. No matter how kind we are to them, they still envy some of us from outside. You said it right !

  Some of those guys cannot compete globally, and they stay there envying people who have gone and worked hard outside. No matter how kind we are to them, they still envy some of us from outside. You said it right !

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• Nii Lartey Nartey 12 years ago

  I can not bring myself to believe that the Ghanaian government that praises her citizens abroad for being the third force of the national economy sits on a bogus constitution that only seek to satisfy the political interest o ...
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  I can not bring myself to believe that the Ghanaian government that praises her citizens abroad for being the third force of the national economy sits on a bogus constitution that only seek to satisfy the political interest of few politicians with primitively greedy hatred against citizens who have the opportunity to travel broad and
  for immigration reasons to normalise their stay go for citizenship of that foreign country.
  
  The unthinkable issue here is, most of our people walking the corridors of political powers and are in positions of authority have themdelves one way or the other travelled abroad and experienced the need for adopting foreign citizenship.
  
  The NDC government unbelievably used this mad citizenship law to witch hunt a political opponent Adamu Sakande who left his comforts in the UK to come and serve his people of Bawku when they the NDC know very well that some of their own appointed ministers like Wayongo the sick minister responsible for defence and the Accra Mayor Vanderpuyeold holds foreign citizenships.
  
  The citizenship part of the national constitution should be scrapped and bin as it is hugely politically and economically counter productive that do not help the country to allow us tap the experiences of our citizens who have aquirred technical skills and academic knowlege come them to help.
  
  Our ECOWAS neighbours, Nigeria and the "lmighty"America recognises duel cititzenship and I do not see why Ghana who need our foreign trained most can not do same.

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• Abeeku Mensah 12 years ago

  Here are some facts Mr. Tony. People from Ghana arrive in the US presumably as Ghanaians with mostly Ghanaian passports and or documents entitling them to refugee status. Once these Ghanaians willingly apply for US citizenshi ...
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  Here are some facts Mr. Tony. People from Ghana arrive in the US presumably as Ghanaians with mostly Ghanaian passports and or documents entitling them to refugee status. Once these Ghanaians willingly apply for US citizenship, through the practices and procedures to obtain US citizenship all successful applicants lose their Ghanaian citizenship. Please read and understand the pledge (loyalty to the nation forsaken all others - without exception) given/recited by all applicants on the day US citizenship is conferred upon them.
  Because of the rather lax and unprofessional practices brought on by bribery and corruption, Ghana’s passport and or immigration officials would not know what to do if people arrived on the Ghanaian shore with a passport from another country seeking a Ghanaian passport. Yes in the US the government does not take away the previously held Ghanaian passport but as we all know every hypocritical Ghanaian alive loves to arrive in Ghana holding their US, Canada, UK etc passports. Where do we know Ghanaians proudly showing off their Ghanaian passports? If I arrive in Ghana using a foreign passport, I do announce myself as a foreigner. If I do, then I ought to pay prices ascribed to foreigners. But your piece, Mr. Tony, just confirms the hypocrisy and selfishness that comes with us all. We want the convenience of traveling to most nations using our new found citizenship from developed nations but by design want to reap the benefits in Ghana reserved for those proud to be Ghanaians. Be principled because it pays.

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• TonyPM 12 years ago

  I must admit that I will choose to travel to many places with an American passport for the conveniences especially after Britain starts collecting $3000 deposits to visit their country, but my heart still belongs to Ghana. W ...
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  I must admit that I will choose to travel to many places with an American passport for the conveniences especially after Britain starts collecting $3000 deposits to visit their country, but my heart still belongs to Ghana. When Ghana beat American, we all cheered for Ghana. I wrote a Ghanaweb article about our Black Stars.
  Because we continue to be Ghanaians, Ghanaian food stores are sprouting up all over America and other places. My granddaughter likes to eat kenkey and shito. My cousin's son whose mother is African American said if he knew how to make fufu, he would eat it every day. This is not because we choose to be Americans but because we choose to be Ghanaians no matter where we live.
  We cannot have a "Joseph" program to beckon African Americans to return home and tell us we are no longer Ghanaians.
  Because we are Ghanaians, we continue to keep up the remittances. Why don't the government make it unlawful to have money sent to Ghana by these "unpatriotic" Ghanaians as you guys like to call us.
  WE ARE GHANAIANS.

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• VAQ 12 years ago

  WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN A WAR BETWEEN AMERICA AND GHANA WHEN YOU HAVE CHANGED YOUR CITIZENSHIP FROM GHANAIAN TO AMERICAN? ON THE BATTLE FIELD YOU CAME FACE TO FACE WITH YOUR UNCLE WOULD YOU SHOOT HIM DOWN? DO YOU REMEMBER THE PR ...
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  WHAT WOULD YOU DO IN A WAR BETWEEN AMERICA AND GHANA WHEN YOU HAVE CHANGED YOUR CITIZENSHIP FROM GHANAIAN TO AMERICAN? ON THE BATTLE FIELD YOU CAME FACE TO FACE WITH YOUR UNCLE WOULD YOU SHOOT HIM DOWN? DO YOU REMEMBER THE PROMISES ONE MAKES DURING THE SWEARING OF THE OATH? THOSE ARE THE REASON WHY ONE CAN NOT BECOME A CITIZEN OF TWO COUNTRIES. IF YOU ARE A NATURALIZED AMERICAN AND HAVE DECIDED TO RUN FOR A POLITICAL APPOINTMENT IN YOUR HOME COUNTRY THE BEST THING TO DO IS GIVE UP YOUR NATURALIZED CITIZESHIP AND MOVE ON. WHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF? YOU WANT YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT AT THE SAME TIME. NOPE!

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• LIZ 12 years ago

  I rather keep my US citizenship and get all the benefits that come with it than fight over Ghana citizenship because I am not going to run for public office in Ghana. It’s a privilege to become a United State citizen, go a ...
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  I rather keep my US citizenship and get all the benefits that come with it than fight over Ghana citizenship because I am not going to run for public office in Ghana. It’s a privilege to become a United State citizen, go ask the Mexicans.

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• TonyPM 12 years ago

  At my age, I don't think either country would want me fighting in a war for them.
  Don't forget that these issues are issues for America as well, especially that most dual citizens are more emotionally tied to their native co ...
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  At my age, I don't think either country would want me fighting in a war for them.
  Don't forget that these issues are issues for America as well, especially that most dual citizens are more emotionally tied to their native countries yet they manage to recognize dual citizenship. They go to war more often and thus have more to worry about than we do.
  America just had the "American Taliban" guy take up arms against her and they did just fine with laws that govern the issue. Can we not do the same to the exentent that we have to take others' citizenship away from them even though they will never dream of taking up arms against Ghana?
  Did I not mention that you lose your American citizenship if you take up political office of another country? Please go back and read the article again.
  There are many issues involved here than what kind of passport you travel with.
  Yes, if America is bullying Ghana, I will take up arms on behave of Ghana

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• Innovation 12 years ago

  The same old useless example against dual citizenship. This argument is too feeble.

  The same old useless example against dual citizenship. This argument is too feeble.

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• braveman 12 years ago

  every africans are ghanaians.

  every africans are ghanaians.

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• KOO APPEAH 12 years ago

  when it comes 2 ur money u r a GHANAIAN, NEED I SAY MORE

  when it comes 2 ur money u r a GHANAIAN, NEED I SAY MORE

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• Kwame A 12 years ago

  There are many countires keen to hold on to all their citizens. Indian has a visa category of People with India origin. The Global economy demands that you utilize your citizen no matter where they are or live. Isreal develop ...
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  There are many countires keen to hold on to all their citizens. Indian has a visa category of People with India origin. The Global economy demands that you utilize your citizen no matter where they are or live. Isreal development depends on accepting all Jews without question. Let us grow up and be modern.

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• DAIVID LIVINGSTONE uk 12 years ago

  As long as we are blacks we are Africans. therefore as long as i am from ghana i remain a Ghanaian till I die. Becouse Gods says so. He made me brown not Black what is black? there is no Black color but brown so stop fooling ...
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  As long as we are blacks we are Africans. therefore as long as i am from ghana i remain a Ghanaian till I die. Becouse Gods says so. He made me brown not Black what is black? there is no Black color but brown so stop fooling your self and others, we are brown from Arfica not blacks. what is white these guys are not whites, they are more or less pink so why do we fool our selfs? dont we are in this time of the world know the diffrence between Black and white?
  Oh! my God and how can the Lizard change his tropical home land for the temprate zone? fool just think about this.What I want to say is as long as we have this God giving color, we are from Africa, Ghanait dose not matter what it is, for the ink or paper can never tell us what we aRE.

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