Prof. Kwaku Azar Calls For Repeal Of Article 92(2)(a) To Honour Adamu Sakande

U.S-based Ghanaian activist, lawyer and academic, Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, popularly known as Kwaku Azar has called for the memory of the late former MP for Bawku Central, Hon. Adamu Sakande to be honoured by repealing article 92(2)(a) of the 1992 constitution.

The article 92(2)(a) of the 1992 constitution bars Ghanaians from occupying or holding public offices in the country if they hold citizenship of other countries aside Ghana, either dual citizenship.

Professor Stephen Asare, who has long been advocating for the repeal of article 92(2)(a) of the 1992 constitution; in the early hours of Wednesday, September 23, 2020, reignited his advocacy, following the sudden demise of Adamu Sakande, whom he said the nation has failed.

According to Prof. Stephen, constituents should be allowed to choose whoever they want to represent them in parliament, regardless of the person being a dual citizen or not.

"The decision as to whether a dual citizen can represent his constituency must be left to those constituents," part of Prof Azar's Facebook post reads.

The late Adamu, a holder of Burkinabe and British citizenships was jailed in July 2012 for forging documents that covered up his dual citizenship as a result of which he was able to contest for the Bawku Central parliamentary seat on the ticket of the then opposition NPP and won. He was later pardoned and released from jail in November the same year.

Below is Prof. Azar's full post;

We failed Adamu Sakande when the State opted to prosecute him for being elected to represent the good people of Bawku Central in Parliament.

For a country that has been a trail blazer at reaching out to the African diaspora, where foreign firms are routinely hired as transaction advisors, where foreigners are daily enstooled as chiefs, it is bizarre that we will seek to disqualify Ghanaians from holding public office merely because they are, like Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah and Chairman Rawlings, citizens of other countries.

The decision as to whether a dual citizen can represent his constituency must be left to those constituents.

The notion that a Ghanaian/German will not know who to fight for in a war between Ghana and Germany and so must be disqualified from serving as an MP makes as much sense as the notion that Kevin Prince Boateng will not know whether to attack the German or Ghanaian defense in a competitive soccer game and so must not be featured in not just such a game but also be disqualified from playing for Ghana.

We cannot be comfortable with hiring a Serbian to coach the Black Stars to play against Serbia and somehow prosecute Adamu Sakande, a natural born Ghanaian, because he has been elected by his people to represent them.

The notion that dual citizens should not be allowed to compete in the political space is a highly outmoded notion kept afloat by an irrational fear that they will usher in competition for incumbent MPs.

We must honor the memory of Adamu Sakande by repealing Article 94(2)(a) with immediate effect.

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Originating at ghanavanguard.com