Memo submitted on rights of Fulani, Hausa, Yoruba who face exclusion from civic recognition despite being born and raised in Ghana

A formal memorandum has been submitted to Ghana’s Constitutional Review Committee, urging the government to take decisive steps to protect and integrate ethnic minority groups who continue to face systemic exclusion from full civic participation and recognition.

The document was presented by Sheikh Mohammed Ridwan Dankwanya, an Islamic scholar, philanthropist, and businessman based in Kumasi. His petition highlights the lived experiences of minority communities such as the Fulani, Hausa, and Yoruba—many of whom are born and raised in Ghana but still struggle to access their full rights as citizens.

At the heart of the memorandum is a call to reform key sections of Ghana’s Constitution and Citizenship Act to reflect the realities of a diverse and inclusive society.

According to the memorandum, many Ghanaians of minority ethnic heritage face rejection when attempting to claim a hometown, often because they do not belong to the dominant ethnic group in that locality. This marginalization, it argues, restricts their access to essential services, land ownership, and participation in local governance structures.

A central point of the petition is the need to address how ancestral lineage continues to play an outsized role in determining who qualifies for full citizenship in Ghana.

As stated in the memorandum, “the Constitution (Article 6) outlines provisions for citizenship by birth, but in practice, access to full rights is often tied to ancestral lineage, not place of birth or cultural belonging.”

To address these disparities, the memorandum proposes a clearer and more inclusive amendment to Article 6 of the Constitution. The suggested revision affirms that any person born in Ghana, regardless of their ethnic or ancestral background, qualifies as a Ghanaian by right—provided at least one parent is legally resident in the country at the time of birth.

The submission also recommends formally defining "hometown" in legal terms, either as a person’s birthplace or as a locality where they have resided continuously for a significant period. This definition, it argues, would help prevent arbitrary exclusion from accessing rights tied to geographic identity.

Further recommendations include enforcing equal treatment in the issuance of civic documentation, addressing disparities in political representation, and strengthening anti-discrimination protections enshrined under Article 17 of the Constitution.

The memorandum also critiques Section 1(b) of the Citizenship Act, 2000 (Act 591), which limits citizenship by birth to those with at least one parent or grandparent who is a Ghanaian. According to the petition, this clause inadvertently excludes children born to long-settled, non-Ghanaian residents who have otherwise made meaningful contributions to the country.

To promote greater inclusion and prevent statelessness, the memorandum proposes a new clause under the Citizenship Act:

“(c) A person born in Ghana who has no claim to another nationality and whose parents have lawfully and habitually resided in Ghana for a continuous period of not less than five years prior to the person’s birth shall be deemed a citizen by birth.”

The petition concludes with a strong appeal for national unity, arguing that full civic recognition of all persons born and raised in Ghana—regardless of background—is essential for a democratic society.

By updating the Constitution and the Citizenship Act, Sheikh Dankwanya believes Ghana can take a meaningful step toward fulfilling its commitments to equality, social cohesion, and human rights.