Ghana has formally welcomed new citizens from the African diaspora, with leaders describing the move as a step toward restoring historical ties between Africa and descendants of people displaced by the transatlantic slave trade.
At a ceremony held at the Accra International Conference Centre yesterday, 155 members of the African diaspora took the Oath of Allegiance and were granted Ghanaian citizenship in an event government officials said symbolises reconnection, healing and partnership.
Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang said the occasion went beyond a legal process and represented a deeper historical moment for people of African descent.
She described the ceremony as a declaration that the identity of African people could not be erased despite centuries of displacement.
“History may scatter people, but it cannot erase their identity, distance cannot sever the bond between Africa and its descendants, and Ghana remains committed to being a home for the global African family,” she stated.
According to her, the return of members of the diaspora reflects a moral reconnection rooted in shared history and heritage.
She noted that Ghana continues to push for the international community to formally recognise the transatlantic slave trade as one of the gravest crimes against humanity.
Citing comments by President John Dramani Mahama, the Vice President indicated that the descendants of Africans taken through the slave trade remain “branches of the same ancestral tree,” united by a shared history and a common future.
She pointed to the historical reminders of that painful past at Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle, where millions of Africans were once held before being forced across the Middle Passage.
Despite the tragedy of that history, she highlighted, descendants of Africa have shown resilience, creativity and cultural strength across the world.
She added that Ghana’s vision of reconnecting with the diaspora dates back to the country’s founding leader, Kwame Nkrumah, who saw Ghana as a gateway for unity and progress among Africans and people of African descent.
“Ghana’s independence was not meant for Ghana alone but meant to inspire freedom and opportunity for Africans and people of African descent everywhere,” she said.
The Vice President also stressed the economic and intellectual contributions of the African diaspora, describing it as one of the continent’s greatest sources of talent, innovation and investment.
Additionally, she explained that the government is strengthening its Diaspora Engagement Policy to create pathways for investment, entrepreneurship, cultural exchange and collaboration in education, tourism and innovation.
“To our newly sworn-in citizens, Ghana welcomes you not as strangers, but as family. By becoming citizens of Ghana, you have chosen belonging, responsibility and partnership in the continuing story of this nation,” she stated.
Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, said the ceremony marked the completion of a legal and administrative process through which individuals with strong ties to Ghana formally became citizens of the republic.
He noted that the Ministry of the Interior has worked with partner institutions to ensure that citizenship procedures remain transparent and consistent with the country’s laws.
According to him, the government views the diaspora as a critical partner in Ghana’s development and international engagement.
He described the diaspora as the “17th region of Ghana and the sixth region of Africa,” highlighting its importance in national development.
The minister said the conferment of citizenship also reflected Ghana’s commitment to addressing the historical consequences of slavery by reconnecting descendants of displaced Africans with their ancestral homeland.
“By welcoming you today as citizens of Ghana, we symbolically reaffirm that the descendants of those who were taken away remain part of our extended national family,” he declared.
He outlined that initiatives such as PANAFEST, the Joseph Project, the Year of Return and Beyond the Return have laid the foundation for stronger engagement with the diaspora, but the country is now moving toward deeper institutional partnerships.
The introduction of frameworks such as the Diaspora Birthright Certificate and expanded citizenship pathways, he cited, aimed to strengthen legal and policy ties between Ghana and its global African family.
Mr Mohammed-Mubarak urged the new citizens to actively participate in Ghana’s national life and development.
“Citizenship is not merely a legal status; it is an invitation to contribute to the growth, stability and prosperity of the Republic,” he mentioned.
He added that the presence of diaspora citizens strengthens Ghana’s position as a global hub for engagement with people of African descent.
The new citizens received their certificates amid calls for stronger cooperation between Ghana and the global African community as the country continues efforts to reconnect history, identity and shared development.
The Director of the Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President, Kofi Okyere Darko, assured members of the African diaspora who have become Ghanaian citizens that Ghana remains committed to strengthening ties with its global African family.
He acknowledged the patience and sacrifices many participants made to attend the event, especially those who had to adjust travel plans following changes in the date and venue.
He advised the new citizens to see their citizenship as more than a legal status, describing it as an embrace of identity, heritage and belonging
BY AGNES OPOKU SARPONG
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