The Ministry of Interior has revealed about 817 Ghanaians renounced their Citizenship in the year 2013 as against 39 foreigners who applied to be Ghanaians.

This was made known when the Ministry took its turn at the meet the press series addressed by the Minister in charge of Interior, Kwesi Ahwoi in Accra on Monday.

According to the Ministry, 538 applied for German citizenship, 233 sought Dutch, Norway 32, Denmark 7, Austria 5, Hong Kong 1 and China 1.

The Ghanaians stated among other things, good economic conditions, high wages and salaries and other incentives associated with their profession in their countries of choice as reasons for their exit from Ghana.
Out of the 817, 450 were females and 367 males.

The Director of Migration at the Ministry of Interior, David Agorsor, described the situation as ”alarming” because the persons involved were highly skilled professionals.

“Recently, we have noticed that the number of Ghanaians renouncing their Ghanaian citizenship is on the increase and in very much alarming and the caliber of Ghanaians who are renouncing their Ghanaian citizenship … are health workers, doctors and all that who find it very easy to work there, and the remuneration that they also get there is much more better than when they live in Ghana and work,” Mr. Agorsor indicated.

This information comes days after some Ghanaians who were in Brazil to support the Black Stars participation in the 2014 edition of the World Cup asked for asylum in Brazil.

They claimed to be Muslims who were “fleeing the violent conflicts between different Muslim groups,” said Noerci da Silva Melo who heads the Federal Police office in the city of Caxias do Sul. [Find story here].

The Ghana government however denied claims by the asylum seekers of religious conflict in the country.

“Government states for the record that the basis for this alleged request is completely false as no religious conflict is taking place in Ghana. It is also worthy to note that Ghana is one of the most stable and peaceful countries not just in the West African sub-region but also on the African continent,” stated the government in a release issued by the Deputy Minister for Information and Media Relations, Felix Kwakye Ofosu.