The government has announced a review of the GH¢25,000 fee for acquiring Ghanaian citizenship after diaspora members raised concerns that the amount could discourage formalisation of ties with the country.
Kofi Okyere Darko, Director of the Diaspora Affairs Office of the President, said the matter had already been brought to the attention of the Minister for the Interior and will be considered through the proper channels.
He added that the government does not want the cost of citizenship to become a barrier for diaspora members seeking to establish formal ties with Ghana, noting that many in the diaspora family are unhappy with the current amount.
During a diaspora engagement meeting in Accra, participants discussed citizenship, investment and ways to deepen Ghana’s relationship with its historic diaspora. One participant, Imakhus Nzingah Okofu—known as Mama One Africa—questioned why the same fee applies to those who have long-standing connections with Ghana, citing her own situation of living in the country since 1987, being married to a Ghanaian, and investing well beyond GH¢25,000.
Ms Okofu said the fee could create an additional hurdle for diaspora members who have already lived, worked, invested or established families in Ghana.
Another diaspora member, Nathakie Kanban from the United States, who became a Ghanaian citizen in 2019, highlighted the stark difference between the GH¢150‑GH¢200 he paid then and the current GH¢25,000 fee, questioning the rationale in the context of Ghana’s efforts to strengthen ties with the historic African diaspora and discussions on reparations for the transatlantic slave trade.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that the government’s interest extends beyond new citizenship applicants to include diaspora members with longstanding connections, such as those who have lived in Ghana for years, obtained residency and are willing to invest and contribute to national development.
He said the broader objective is to deepen Ghana’s relationship with diaspora members who have genuine and sustained connections to the country, and that any change to the fee would have to follow the appropriate government process.
The review of the citizenship fee is part of a wider discussion on how Ghana can encourage diaspora engagement while maintaining the requirements and processes governing citizenship.
