A lecturer at the GIMPA Law School, Justice Srem-Sai has advised that amendment of the laws regarding dual citizenship in the country must be done cautiously.

Speaking on The Law on JoyNews, Dr Srem-Sai said there will be consequences if the existing law restricting citizens from holding some positions in government are totally scrapped without an adequate discussion of the issues surrounding allegiance among others.

“Let us appreciate that allegiance is not an irrelevant concept. Let us understand that there are real consequences that may lead to an international row between states, so we need to address each and every one of these issues in amending the law.”

“But, if we have to deny the relevance of allegiance, if we have to deny the relevance of citizenship and reduce all the concepts as if they don’t matter anymore and that they are archaic, then we will end up making a very big mistake,” he told Samson Lardy Anyenini, host of the show, on Sunday.

Giving an example, he explained that there are reasons it is lawful to be a chief but chiefs are not allowed to dive into active politics and Presidents are not allowed to be Chancellors of Universities despite it being lawful.

Dr Srem-Sai said that it is essential that Ghana is mindful of some of the real issues that could arise while amending the law.

His comment follows a discussion on social media after a court cancelled the 2020 parliamentary elections for Assin North Constituency.

The case of the petitioner was that the MP, Joe Gyaakye Quayson at the time of filing to contest the 2020 Parliamentary Elections, had not renounced his Canadian citizenship and thus held dual nationality.

Meanwhile, a D&D Fellow in Public Law and Justice at CDD-Ghana, Professor Stephen Kweku Asare has opined that opposition to Ghanaians with dual citizenship being appointed to key governmental positions, is based on mere speculations.

Speaking on the same show, Prof. Asare said those opposing appointment of dual citizens to head key state institutions do not base their arguments on empirical realities.

He explained that such speculative arguments formed the basis for which dual citizens are prohibited from occupying certain key positions in Ghana’s public service as prescribed in the 1992 constitution and its subsequent 1996 amendment.