Accra-based legal practitioner and entrepreneur, Kofi Asmah, has urged the Ghanaian government to reconsider its current approach of granting citizenship to members of the African diaspora without requiring any economic contribution. In a statement shared via Facebook on September 21, 2025, Asmah called the practice a “missed opportunity” for national development and urged policymakers to adopt a more strategic model.
“Stop giving away Ghanaian citizenship for free,” Asmah stated, referencing the government's symbolic but economically passive approach. He cited the landmark 2019 Year of Return, during which 126 members of the African diaspora were granted Ghanaian citizenship. Since then, government data indicates that citizenship has been extended to 624 individuals—524 of them in a November 2024 ceremony and over 100 in 2022.
While Asmah acknowledged the Pan-African intentions behind the initiative, he argued that Ghana must evolve beyond symbolic gestures and treat citizenship as an economic asset. He pointed to international examples such as Portugal’s Golden Visa programme, which has generated over €7 billion in foreign investment since its inception in 2012, and Malta’s citizenship-by-investment scheme, which contributes hundreds of millions of euros annually to infrastructure projects.
“They understand what Ghana does not—citizenship must serve the state,” he asserted.
Asmah proposed a Ghanaian version of the Golden Visa model, where diaspora applicants seeking citizenship are required to make tangible investments in the country. “If diaspora applicants truly love Ghana, they should be willing to invest in its future,” he argued.
He further suggested that citizenship could be tied to specific sectors such as agriculture, housing, renewable energy, or even the Ghanaian bond market. By linking nostalgic reconnection to economic development, Asmah believes the policy could turn emotional commitment into practical nation-building.
“By requiring diaspora applicants to invest in key sectors, we turn a nostalgic homecoming into a concrete contribution to the economy,” he said.
Asmah estimated that if each of the 750 recipients of Ghanaian citizenship since 2019 had been required to invest at least $200,000, the country could have raised over $150 million—funds that could be directed toward critical infrastructure, including schools and hospitals, or used to stabilise the cedi.
“These are funds that could have helped address our housing deficit or strengthen our currency reserves,” he added.
Recognizing the emotional and historical weight behind diaspora repatriation—especially in light of slavery and displacement—Asmah maintained that sentiment alone is not enough to sustain national progress.
“History matters. The scars of slavery and displacement cannot be ignored. But nostalgia alone will not strengthen the cedi,” he emphasized.
He concluded that Ghana must view its passport as a valuable economic instrument. “A Ghanaian passport offers access to ECOWAS markets, visa-free travel across much of Africa, and international recognition. Why give it away for free when it can help finance national growth?”
Source: MyNewsGH.com
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