A prominent Accra-based lawyer has called on government to rethink its approach to granting citizenship to members of the African diaspora.

He warns that the current practice of “giving away Ghanaian passports for free” represents a missed opportunity for national development.

In a post on LinkedIn titled ‘Stop Giving Away Ghanaian Citizenship for Free’, Mr Asmah, a member of both the Ghana Bar Association and American Bar Association, argued that while the grant of Ghanaian citizenship and passports as part of the symbolic Year of Return was a powerful gesture, Ghana must now tie naturalisation to economic investment.

Since the 2019 Year of Return, Ghana has granted citizenship to 624 people of African descent, according to available records.

The biggest naturalisation ceremony to date came in November 2024, when 524 people received Ghanaian citizenship. More than 100 others were granted citizenship in 2022.

Mr Asmah, who is also an economic counsellor with the Diaspora African Forum, acknowledged that Article 6 of the 1992 Constitution and the Citizenship Act, 2000 (Act 591), provide a legal basis for people of African descent to apply for Ghanaian citizenship.

He described this as a noble recognition of history and the forced displacement of millions during the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

But he stressed that other nations have leveraged citizenship programmes far more strategically.

“Portugal’s Golden Visa has brought in more than €7 billion in foreign investment since 2012,” Mr Asmah wrote.

“Malta’s citizenship-by-investment scheme generates hundreds of millions annually. In the Caribbean, countries like St. Kitts, Antigua, and Dominica have built airports, hospitals, and schools from citizenship programmes.”

He urged the government of Ghana to adopt a similar “Golden Visa” framework that would require diaspora applicants to make direct investments in key sectors such as agriculture, housing, renewable energy, or Ghana’s bond market.

“Imagine if the 750 new citizens since 2019 had each been required to invest even $200,000,” he wrote.

“Ghana would have raised over $150 million in direct capital funds that could build schools, modernise hospitals, or stabilise our currency reserves. And our new citizens would have acquired homes in Ghana, which could be rented out to help address the huge housing deficit.”

Mr. Asmah emphasised that his call for reform will not undermine Pan-African ideals. Instead, he said, it would transform nostalgic homecoming events into concrete contributions to Ghana’s future.

“History matters. The scars of slavery and displacement cannot be ignored,” he noted.

“But let us be honest: nostalgia will not strengthen or stabilise the cedi. Every free passport handed out without an economic obligation is a lost opportunity.

“A Ghanaian passport is valuable. Why give it away when we can use it as a vehicle to finance growth? If diaspora applicants truly love Ghana, they should be prepared to invest in Ghana’s future.”