'Dual citizenship does not prove betrayal' — Prof Kwaku Azar urges swift passage of bill

Ghanaian legal scholar Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, popularly known as Kwaku Azar, has urged Parliament to pass the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

His comments come after the Council of State advised against the bipartisan bill, which seeks to remove constitutional restrictions preventing dual citizens from occupying certain public offices, despite President John Dramani Mahama's public support for the reform.

Critics have been arguing that dual citizens may not be loyal to the country as compared to those with mono citizenship status.

However, in a social media post on Thursday, July 9, Prof. Azar argued that nearly three decades of experience since Ghana recognised dual citizenship have shown that the concerns underpinning the restrictions are no longer justified.

"The Constitution should presume loyalty until conduct proves otherwise, not presume disloyalty because of citizenship," he stated.

According to him, public officers are held accountable through oaths of office, ethics rules, conflict-of-interest regulations, security vetting and criminal sanctions rather than the number of passports they possess.

He argued that loyalty cannot be measured by citizenship status, noting that Ghana already entrusts dual citizens and even foreign nationals with responsibilities in other sectors without questioning their commitment to the country.

"A passport does not make a patriot. A single citizenship does not guarantee loyalty. Dual citizenship does not prove betrayal," he stated.

Prof. Asare further contended that Parliament has an opportunity to complete what he described as Ghana's "equal citizenship journey" by removing what he called outdated constitutional disabilities attached to dual citizenship.

He also rejected arguments that the amendment could weaken national security or accountability.

According to him, genuine conflicts of interest should be addressed through effective laws, vetting and enforcement mechanisms rather than blanket constitutional exclusions.

The legal scholar stressed that the proposed amendment would broaden the pool of qualified Ghanaians available for public service while allowing merit, elections and constitutional processes—not citizenship labels—to determine who holds public office.