The Council of State has advised against the passage of the Constitution of Ghana (Amendment) Bill, 2025, dealing a major blow to efforts to allow dual citizens to occupy certain sensitive public offices.
The proposed amendment sought to revise Article 8(2) of the 1992 Constitution to permit Ghanaians holding dual citizenship to serve in positions currently reserved for citizens with no dual allegiance. These include Member of Parliament, Ambassador or High Commissioner, Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs, Inspector General of Police, Secretary to the Cabinet and Director of the Immigration Service.
The Bill received its first reading in Parliament in February 2026 and was referred to the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee for consideration by First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor.
Lead co-sponsor and Mpraeso MP Davis Ansah Opoku defended the proposal, arguing that it reflected modern realities and was not intended to question the loyalty of dual citizens.
President John Dramani Mahama had also backed the amendment, telling a Diaspora Town Hall meeting in London on May 31 that the government was committed to enabling Ghanaians in the diaspora with dual citizenship to participate fully in national politics, including serving as Members of Parliament and ministers.
The President, who has privately described the proposal as the “Gyakye Quayson law,” said the reforms recognise the significant contribution of the Ghanaian diaspora, which remitted about US$7.8 billion to the country last year. He described the diaspora as Ghana’s “17th region.”
The Council of State’s opposition is significant given its constitutional mandate to advise the President on matters of national importance, including proposed constitutional amendments. Its position represents a major setback for reforms that had received support from the Presidency and lawmakers across the political divide.
The proposal has generated mixed reactions since its introduction, with supporters arguing it would harness the expertise of Ghanaians abroad, while critics have raised concerns about national security and allegiance in relation to holders of sensitive public offices.
The debate follows a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that struck down portions of the Citizenship Act expanding the list of offices barred to dual citizens, highlighting the legal and constitutional complexities surrounding dual citizenship and eligibility for public office in Ghana.
