The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has challenged the governing New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) claim that the newly elected member of parliament for Assin North, James Gyakye Quayson holds dual citizenship; being a Ghanaian and Canadian.
The party says Mr. Quayson renounced his Canadian citizenship in 2019 and no longer owes allegiance to that country.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs asking for an inquiry into the current citizenship status of the MP-elect.
The country’s constitution frowns upon any instance of an elected Member of Parliament being a citizen of another country in addition to being a Ghanaian.
The NPP’s claim, if found to be true constitutes grounds for the said MP-elect to be removed.
But the NDC says the MP-elect is “a full citizen of Ghana who owes no allegiance whatsoever to any other country. He is a Ghanaian in law and in fact and qualifies to be a Member of Parliament according to the laws of Ghana.”
It said,James Gyakye Quayson duly qualifies for his parliamentary seat since he renounced his citizenship of Canada long ago.
The NDC said a similar claim was made against the MP-elect before the 2020 polls to which he responded by furnishing the EC with all relevant documents to prove his full citizenship of Ghana.
“James G. Quayson, who has resided for some time past in Canada, renounced his Canadian citizenship since December 19th, 2019 and has accordingly been issued with a Renunciation Certificate by the Canadian authorities to that effect. Indeed this matter was raised by a group calling itself Concerned Citizens of Assin-North Constituency prior to the elections. Upon a petition to the Electoral Commission, Hon. Quayson was invited by the EC to appear before it on the 24th to the 27th of November, 2020, and after providing all necessary documentation to establish his full citizenship as a Ghanaian, the EC cleared him to contest the elections,” the part said.
It said Ghanaians should disregard the NPP’s claim as one lacking basis.