The Chief Justice nominee, Justice Gertrude Torkornoo says a birth certificate does not prove one’s citizenship. 

Justice Torkornoo insisted that the document begins the process of determining one’s nationality. 

Answering questions from members of the Appointments Committee on Friday, May 26, she said a birth certificate is just an international requirement. 

According to her, it is one’s lineage that determines the citizenship or otherwise of a person. 

“Citizenship is a matter of law, nationality is a matter of law. In certain jurisdictions, being born in that place makes you a citizen of that country, [but] in our country, being born in Ghana doesn’t make you a citizen of Ghana.”

“It is your relationship with your mother, it is your mother’s identity, your father’s identity, it is your lineage that determines your citizenship.”

So that form [birth certificate] is just an international requirement, we must know where everyone is born. But beyond that, your nationality is derived from that form, the evidence on that form,” she said.

The Supreme Court had earlier ruled that a birth certificates cannot be proof of citizenship.

The apex court ruled that a birth certificate does not satisfy the requirements of Article 42 of the Constitution.

“A birth certificate is not a form of identification. It does not establish the identity of the bearer. Nor does it link the holder with the information on the certificate. 

Quite obviously, it provides no evidence of citizenship,” the Supreme Court ruling said.