Ghana citizenship: Five ways to proof say you be Ghanaian citizen

Group of pipo wey dey celebrate during Ghana 50 years independence celebration for Accra.

Getty Images

Supreme Court of Ghana yeste pass unanimous verdict say birth certificate no be form of identification say one be Ghanaian citizen.

De apex court of de land explain say de birth certificate no dey establish “identity of de bearer”.

Dis judgement de come on de back of case wey private citizen Mark Takyi Banson file which dey ask de court to allow Ghanaians use birth certificate as evidence of citizenship during dis voter’s registration exercise.

To become Ghanaian citizen be a matter of law as provided in Citizenship Act, 2000.

Dis be five main ways dey through which one fit be Ghanaian citizen.

Nationality by Birth

Under laws of Ghana, you go fit become Ghanaian national by birth.

So you be citizen of Ghana by birth if dem born you for Ghana, dem born one of your parents for Ghana or one of your grandparents was born in Ghana.

Nationality by Registration and Marriage

If a non-citizen marry citizen of Ghana using de right legal court process, that person go fit register to be citizen of Ghana.

Even when de marriage dissolve wey divorce happen, dat person go remain Ghanaian citizen unless dem renounce dema citizenship.

Dis non-Ghanaian citizen for go through registration process where he/she go swear oath of allegiance after which de person go fit become citizen starting from de day of registration.

Map of Ghana

BBC

Nationality by Neutralization

Someone go fit become Ghanaian citizen by neutralization. Dis be where de person apply to de Minister of Interior wey en citizenship get approval from President of Ghana.

After dis person answer some key questions from de Interior Ministry satisfactorily, dem go make he/she swear oath of allegiance citizen after which dem go get certificate of neutralization.

Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo

Getty Images
Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo

Nationality by foundling

One go fit become citizen of Ghana if de person be under 7 years old, wey dem no know de whereabouts of en parents but dem find am for Ghana.

Ghana laws dey presume say de child be citizen by birth once he/she dey de country inside but nobody know en parent.

Nationality by Adoption

Adoption too be one of de means through which one fit become Ghanaian citizen. Person wey be less than 16 years but Ghanaian parents adopt am dey become citizen through adoption.

Debate dey happen now on who be Ghanaian following de Supreme Court of Ghana verdict.

People dey wonder what dis dey mean for other documents wey dey secure using de birth certificate as primary identification source for de creation of those documents like passport, National Identification Card den tins.

Facts about Ghana