Supreme Court Nominee Faces Tough Opposition From Minority After His Dual Citizenship Was Disclosed
- A Supreme Court nominee, Professor Richard Frimpong Oppong, has been asked to renounce his Canadian citizenship during his vetting
- The demand was made by the minority leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, who said his dual citizenship status was in contravention of the law
- However, due to a ruling a few months ago, Prof Oppong, if approved, could become Ghana's first dual citizen Supreme Court judge
A Supreme Court nominee, Professor Richard Frimpong Oppong, is facing strong opposition from the minority side after disclosing that he has dual citizenship.
Prof Frimpong Oppong said he holds both Ghanaian and Canadian citizenship.
Source: UGC
According to Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the minority leader in parliament, the nomination of a dual citizen to the position of Supreme Court judge is an affront to Article 156 (1) of the constitution that bars dual citizens from holding key positions in government.
He noted that a judge on the Supreme Court bench is a key position holder and a dual citizen is ineligible to be nominated to that post.
According to him, should Prof Frimpong Oppong be approved, he would have to swear allegiance to Ghana, and the Supreme Court’s equation of allegiance to nationality in the Gyekye Quayson case makes it impossible for the judge to be approved.
He made this submission during Prof Frimpong Oppong's vetting at the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Tuesday, August 12, 2024.
According to Myjoyonline.com, Dr Forson stated that Prof Frimpong Oppong must renounce his Canadian citizenship before he could be approved for the Supreme Court position.
Oppong could be court's first dual citizen
However, despite the minority side’s opposition to his nomination, Prof Frimpong Oppong could become the first dual citizen to join the Supreme Court bench.
This follows the recent ruling against portions of the Citizenship Act which had previously prevented dual citizens from being Chief Justices and Chief Directors.
The Supreme Court's ruling had declared those sections of the Citizenship Act unconstitutional and permitted dual citizens to serve in certain high-ranking positions including Chief Justice, Commissioner of the Value Added Tax Service, and Chief Director of a Ministry.
Parliament supports dual citizens bill
The Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee of Parliament earlier endorsed the passage of a bill advocating for dual citizens to be allowed to hold certain public offices.
The bill, sponsored by the Akim Swedru Member of Parliament, Kennedy Osei Nyarko, seeks to remove the restriction on dual citizens from holding certain high-ranking positions in government.
These positions include the office of the Inspector General of Police, Ambassadorial positions, as well as serving as Members of Parliament.
The Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, in its report to Parliament, noted that Ghana’s diaspora significantly contributed to the nation’s development and their prohibition from public office was inimical to the said development.
According to the committee, the existing restrictions are outdated and do not benefit the state in any way.
Ghanaian-German dual citizens demand reinstatement
YEN.com.gh also reported that Ghanaians who renounced their citizenship for German passports are demanding citizenship be reinstated.
According to them, the passing of the European nation's dual citizenship law recently would allow them to reinstate their old Ghanaian citizenship.
The expats stated that any further delays in the reinstatement of their citizenship would lead them to picket at the Ghanaian embassy in Berlin.
Proofread by Bruce Douglas, senior copy editor at YEN.com.gh
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Source: YEN.com.gh
