President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to amend Ghana’s 1992 Constitution to allow Ghanaians in the diaspora who hold dual citizenship to participate more fully in the country’s political system, describing the diaspora as Ghana’s “17th region.”
Speaking at a Diaspora Town Hall Meeting in London, the President said the government has already placed legislation before Parliament as part of a broader constitutional review process aimed at deepening inclusion and strengthening democratic participation.
According to him, the proposed reforms would enable Ghanaians living abroad and holding dual nationality to serve at parliamentary and ministerial levels, removing longstanding restrictions that have prevented many from contributing directly to national governance.
“As we have said, our diaspora is the 17th region of Ghana. We have 16 physical regions in Ghana, but we have one virtual region, which is our diaspora abroad,” President Mahama told the gathering.
He noted that the contribution of Ghanaians abroad to the national economy continues to grow, citing remittance inflows of approximately $7.8 billion last year.
“I dare say that probably that is much larger than many regions are contributing to the GDP in Ghana. So you deserve your position as the 17th region of Ghana,” he said.
The President added: “As part of the constitution review, we currently have legislation before Parliament to review the 1992 Constitution to allow Ghanaians in the diaspora who hold other passports or dual passports to be able to participate in our politics at parliamentary and ministerial level.”
Mahama said the reforms were informed by the experiences of many Ghanaians abroad who wish to contribute more directly to national development but face legal barriers.
The President also used the occasion to encourage members of the diaspora to remain actively engaged in Ghana’s development agenda through investment, skills transfer and public service.
He cautioned those considering permanent relocation to Ghana to do so strategically.
“Relocating can be very shocking. I’ve seen people just pack their bags and say, ‘I’m going home.’ They get back home and in a year they are so frustrated that they virtually pack and come back,” he said.
The town hall formed part of Mahama’s visit to the United Kingdom ahead of the Ghana-UK Investment Summit and other high-level engagements, including meetings with British officials and investors.
